


Under Her Skin

by Svmmy_j3tpvck



Category: Loving Annabelle (2006), Wentworth (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-24
Updated: 2019-01-04
Packaged: 2019-08-28 13:06:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 29,637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16723971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Svmmy_j3tpvck/pseuds/Svmmy_j3tpvck
Summary: Bea Smith and Simone Bradley are half sisters who grew up together. After years of throwing themselves into their work and grieving the loss of their parents, the two sisters and their younger brother, Thomas, make their way to Southern New Hampshire University, Bea and Simone to teach and Thomas to get a degree. Little do they know, things will get interesting sooner than they expected.





	1. Chapter 1

Prologue:

Well, if you’ve gotten this far, I suppose I should already thank you for reading, and can only hope you will continue, This is my take on two couples; Allie Novak and Bea Smith from Wentworth, and Simone and Annabelle from the movie Loving Annabelle, as well as smatterings of other couples along the way.  
I am recreating some back stories as to fit the plot and character dynamic, so I hope that the preconceived notions as to who these women are can be put to the back of your minds long enough to read this.  
Basically, the take I wanted to go with is if Bea and Allie met before Debbie is brought into play, and if Simone and Annabelle were put in the position of their attraction without Annabelle being underage hanging over their heads.  
I will be using multiple characters from each, as well as dialogue, and I own nothing except for the characters that I choose to create.  
Thank you for at least getting to the end of this, and I hope you all enjoy the ride for these two couples that had so much potential and were left unfinished, and what struggles paved the paths that brought them together. Without further ado, I give you Under Her Skin.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bea Smith and Simone Bradley are half sisters who grew up together. After years of throwing themselves into their work and grieving the loss of their parents, the two sisters and their younger brother, Thomas, make their way to Southern New Hampshire University, Bea and Simone to teach and Thomas to get a degree. Little do they know, things will get interesting sooner than they expected.

Intro Part 1: Simone and Bea

32-year-old Bea Smith was in the kitchen of her home brewing coffee while cooking a breakfast of cheese and berry stuffed blintzes for her and her sister, Simone. Although the five-year age difference had caused the two women to butt heads in the past, they found it to be true that, the older you get, the closer you get to your siblings. They argued a lot growing up, as most sisters do, but eventually they came to a common ground. Things just sort of switched for them one day, out of nowhere with no rhyme or reason, and they became each other’s support system and best friend.  
Of Irish as well as Swedish descent, each sister possessed the traits of one nationality. Bea Smith had red hair and brown eyes that she got from her mother, while Simone possessed the blonde hair and blue eyes of her father. Be this as it may, that was where the differences between the two sisters ended. They both had strong jawlines, naturally straight teeth, cherry plum cheekbones and possessed the same enthusiasm for the little things in life.

Bea and Simone did not share a last name, as Bea had been unplanned and her mother decided she would raise Bea herself, no matter what the cost, after her father had inexplicably disappeared from the picture without so much as a second thought. However, when Joseph Bradley came into her mother’s life when she was four, she knew she had felt a paternal connection to the man.  
It did not matter that she was not his child, not to him and not to Bea. He still did all the fatherly things, and even went above and beyond sometimes.  
Bea relished in the memories of Joseph being around to support her through all of the milestones in her life. She remembered, although vaguely, when he taught her to ride a bicycle a few years too late, when she was about six years old. She remembered her first straight A report card when she was seven, and how he picked her up and spun her around, raining kisses down on her cheeks to prove the pride he had in his baby girl.  
Simone was born not long after. When Joseph and Bea’s mother, Victoria, announced that they were having another baby together, Bea’s first question was whether or not she could hold her baby brother or sister, to which Joseph replied, “you, my darling, can have anything you want,” with a look of sincerity in his eyes as he kissed Bea's forehead. Joseph took great pleasure in showing Bea how to be the best big sister she could be. He even allowed her to help him design and paint Simone’s nursery.  
Simone was born a short few months later, and everybody was ecstatic with the arrival of the new addition to the family. Although Joseph always joked that the women seriously outnumbered him, they all knew there was nowhere else he would rather be than surrounded by his girls. Even baby Simone who was too little to comprehend but competent enough to understand knew she was born into a happy and loving family.  
They spent a great many years together as a happy family, both Victoria and Joseph being present for milestones in each of their daughters’ lives. They were there when Simone lost her first tooth, Bea went to her first dance, Simone learned how to write cursive, Bea made varsity volleyball, and so much more. When Simone was about to turn 9 and Bea was about 12 and a half, Victoria and Joseph announced that they were going to have another baby. Everybody was excited at the thought of their family finally being 100% complete with another life. Soon thereafter, after Simone had turned 9 and Bea was dipping her toe into the first couple months of becoming a teenager, Thomas was born.  
Thomas was the apple of everybody’s eye. The age logistics were enough to bother some people, but the Bradley family was unbothered. As far as they were concerned, they had a healthy family with two daughters and a son, and that was that. Things between the close-knit family were perfect for a good four years, until Victoria got sick.  
Victoria was diagnosed with stage three-pancreatic cancer the semester after Bea graduated high school. Bea was 18 years old and living the college life, Simone was 13 learning the ropes of middle school and becoming a woman, and their family’s later acquired baby boy, Thomas, was only four years old. The whole family held out hope that Victoria would make it, but Bea and Joseph knew that it was time for them to figure out how to say their goodbyes, and to explain to Simone and Thomas that it may be time to say theirs as well. Victoria held on for a year and a half before she finally had no more fight left in her. Although Bea, Joseph, and Simone had already prepared themselves for the worst, nothing they mentally prepared themselves for would actually dull the pain of losing Victoria. Thomas was young but still understood, and grieved right beside his father and his big sisters.  
The next sixteen months found Joseph out of touch, slumped, and checked out of life. Joseph and Victoria had saved up substantial amounts of money from the artistic photographs they had taken in their travels around the world that were purchased by major magazines. Joseph would go out for short projects, but would eventually find himself at home at the end of the day, after Simone and Tom had gone to bed, sitting in the dark with a bottle of Jack and nothing but the memories of the woman he once loved.  
Things continued to get worse for Joseph when Simone eventually called Bea to ask her advice. Bea was away at college and not entirely focused on her family life, but she always had time for Simone, Joseph, or Tommy. Simone expressed to Bea her concerns about their father, to which Bea said that he must feel alone now that he lost his best friend.  
“Think about it,” said Bea, “he lost all he’s known for years and years outside of us and Tommy, and she’s the one who gave us to him. Maybe he just needs someone to be there, regardless of how much they remind him of what he’s grieving.”  
From that day forward, Simone did everything she could to make sure she gave her father all the love and attention a child could give, and then some. Losing their mother hurt Simone too, but she couldn’t bear to watch another parent slip away. Eventually, with her reading of original as well as classic poetry, Joseph began to come out of his shell.  
Joseph finally retired his post on the couch with his bottle of Jack, and spent three months traveling all around to the world to places he knew Victoria would have loved. He eventually came out with his own photo book that was published with the name of “Victoria’s Era.” In this book, he had photos of places him and Victoria had either visited or wanted to visit, some pictures with Simone’s poetry as the captions.  
However, once Joseph returned from his travels, back to the house he had shared so many wonderful years in with his beloved, he began to spiral again. The house that once shared so many beautiful memories, now just left him feeling the void of missing the woman who had been responsible for all of those memories by giving him the best gift anyone could ask for: a loving family.  
Joseph began to drink again, but this time he didn’t have Simone and her poetic justice there during every moment of weakness to comfort him as he drowned his sorrows silently in secret.  
Simone felt her father slipping away again and began to leave him small notes of encouragement on places like his coffee mug or on the bathroom mirror, reminding him he was strong and loved. As much as Joseph loved the attentiveness of his little girl, he felt he needed to face this on his own, and he didn’t want to hurt his babies any more than they were all already hurting from losing their mother.  
A few weeks later, a 16-year-old Simone found herself being called in the middle of a poetry club meeting by Thomas’s school, saying he was yet to have been picked up. Checking her phone and realizing that it was well past 3 p.m., Simone ducked out of poetry club and went to retrieve her little brother from school, assuming her father must have fallen asleep or had a meeting with someone about his pictures.  
Regardless of what Simone thought, nothing could prepare her for the sight she saw when she got home. Hitting the button to the garage door, as it came halfway up, Simone saw a pair of muddied up Timberland boots, much resembling the ones her father wore on treks out into the woods to take pictures, a few feet above the floor. As the door opened fully, there he was, in all his glory, Joseph Bradley hanging from the rafters of the garage, deceased, while a speechless Simone had to figure out what to say to a bewildered Thomas in the backseat who had no clue what was happening.  
The following years were very up and down for the trio. Although neither parent were around to witness the important milestones in Simone and Thomas’s lives, Bea always made sure her brother and sister always knew they were not alone. Bea attended Simone’s high school graduation, and felt such pride watching her little sister give her valedictorian speech at the ceremony.  
The next few years were the most difficult on Thomas, though. He began getting into fights at school, skipping classes, staying out all night, and showed no remorse for the blatant disregard for anybody’s feelings but his own. However, the two sisters did not berate him for his behavior. Simone and Bea alike, both understood that he was going through a part in his life where he needed his father, and neither knew how to handle the situation. At this point, Bea was off traipsing around the world, photographing bands for album covers and posters. It wasn’t the first thing she would have chosen, but the thing she enjoyed, more than seeing all these new places, was that she felt closer to her father when she took pictures.  
Simone had put off going away to college following graduation, opting to take a couple online classes here and there, and write freelance poetry so that she could keep a watchful eye over Thomas. She had even published a few small poetry books, but nothing major or high profile. It was around this time that Thomas began to open up more, and he was spending more and more time with Simone, despite the fact that they already lived together.  
Thomas’s rebellious behavior stopped, and he found himself falling in love with the written word, much like his big sister. However, Thomas was more interested in music. He would sit with Simone while she worked on her poetry, and she would help him with his assignments, as well as make suggestions when writer’s block kicked in. After months of begging from Thomas’s end, Simone finally gave in and bought him a guitar and paid for lessons as his sixteenth birthday gift. That was two years ago. Now, an eighteen-year-old Thomas found himself wanting to go to business school, and eventually maybe music school, in the hopes of one day opening up a record label. Much to the amusement of Simone and Bea, Thomas opted to stick around in New Hampshire and attend SNHU as a student living on campus.

Bea was brought out of her thoughts as Simone finished descending the stairs toward the smell of freshly brewed dark roast and blintzes. Simone smiled as Bea placed a plate of food and cup of coffee at the breakfast bar, as if on cue, and returned Simone’s warm smile. They sat eating silently for a few minutes before Bea spoke.  
“So, how are you feeling about your first day?” Bea asked. After completing her MBA, Bea had gone on to follow in her father’s footsteps with photography, as well as getting a degree in journalism. Photography was something all of the siblings would always cherish. After having created a rather successful career in photography, Bea decided teaching was the route for the rest of her career, thus landing her at Southern New Hampshire University. Being a respected professor, the school was quick to hire Simone after completing her doctorate in English.  
“I feel okay, I guess,” Simone said with a sigh, while moving her gaze from her plate to her coffee cup, anything to avoid eye contact with her sister who could always tell what she was feeling the second her brown eyes met Simone’s pools of blue.  
“You guess?” Bea asked pointedly, finally getting Simone to look up at her. She saw a twinge of fear, but also something else in Simone’s eyes: guilt.  
“Yeah…” Simone replied. Bea continued to give her ‘the look,’ urging Simone to continue. “I guess I’m just not really looking forward to being low man on the totem pole. I know that I will be underestimated, taken advantage of, and manipulated by other staff who don’t think I can put my money where my mouth is,” Simone said with a slow shrug.  
Bea understood where Simone was coming from. Being the new person is never easy, but she vowed to always be by Simone’s side, as well as their little brother. They were all each other had for all these years now. After the death of Joseph, both sisters had thrown themselves into their work, becoming extremely successful, but still feeling the lack of emotional attachment. To everything and everyone besides each other and their brother.  
“Simone,” Bea started, laying her hand on Simone’s fidgeting hand, “you are going to be great. I have never met someone with the passion for words you have, and honestly, mom and dad would be so proud of you.”  
A lump began to form in Simone’s throat. The thought of her parents overwhelmed her with emotion, as well as the fact that they would never get to see her teach the one thing in this world she loved more than her family. She looked down at her now cold cup of coffee and sighed.  
“Why wasn’t my passionate use of words enough to reach daddy?” Simone asked quietly, tears threatening to spill from her eyes, although it had been eleven long years since her father’s passing  
Sensing her sister’s distress, Bea rounded the corner to Simone’s side of the breakfast bar. Placing one hand on her shoulder, and using the other to turn Simone’s face, Bea forced her little sister’s pools of blue to meet the depths of her brown eyes. Once she was sure she had her sister’s attention, Bea began.  
“Simone, sweetheart… I know you blame yourself, and you shouldn’t,” Bea began. Simone opened her mouth to speak but was silenced by Bea’s ‘let me finish,’ look. “You have a way with words that will allow your voice to reach the ears of many,” Bea continued, taking Simone’s hands in hers. “And I promise you, the moment you reach a student for the first time, just one, I promise you will understand that you do have a voice worthy of being heard.” Bea gave her sister a sad smile, as she reached out and pulled her sister into a soothing embrace. “And by the way,” Bea started as she pulled back, looking Simone in the eyes, “today is only the meeting. If anyone tries to take advantage of you, it’ll be your students,” Bea said with a slight smirk, relishing in the small smile from her sister, while dodging a swat on her arm.  
Not saying anything in response to what Bea had just expressed to her, Simone just threw her arms around her sister as the tears silently fell from her eyes and her sobs turned to sniffles.  
Finishing their breakfast, the two sisters cleaned up and headed to the campus of SNHU to meet in the Gustafson Center for the staff meeting. It was Friday and classes didn’t start until Monday, but it was customary for the teachers to all gather for a brief introductory meeting before classes were to commence.  
As Simone and Bea exited Bea’s Honda Pilot, they crossed the street and headed towards Gustafson. Just as they were about to head for the entrance, they were halted by uproarious laughter.  
“I DON’T EAT SAUSAGE, I’M A VAGITARIAN,” came from two voices a few yards away. As Simone stifled her laughter, Bea’s head impulsively shot towards the source of the voices as well as the crude comment.  
Bea’s breath caught in her throat as her eyes landed upon a beautiful blonde dragging her luggage up the path coming from Monadnock Hall while joking with an auburn haired girl with blonde highlights. As their eyes met, the blonde momentarily found herself at a loss for words taking in the sight of the gorgeous, yet bewildered, older woman staring back at her.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Annabelle Tillman and Allie Novak have been friends since they were eleven, having bonded over both having parents involved in politics. Over the years, their friendship has become more like family, including Annabelle's cousin Franky. The trio all became very close, when an unexpected rift found her way into their small circle and all four women spent years traveling together. Two years later, the trio return to the United States to further their education at none other than Southern New Hampshire University.

Intro Part 2: Annabelle and Allie

“UGH, turn this crap off already, god dammit!” Exclaimed a disgruntled Annabelle at a laughing Allie, who was on their third go-around listening to Drake’s Scorpion album. “This has to be the worst thing he has ever recorded,” she continued, while burying her head in the stacks of clothes and bedding stuffed into the backseat of her cousin’s SUV.  
“Oh come on Anna,” Allie began, but was stopped in her tracks when the introduction to In My Feelings began to play, and she decided to torture her best friend some more. “Annie, do you love me, are you riding, say you’ll never ever leave from beside me.” Allie and Franky, Annabelle’s cousin, began to obnoxiously serenade Annabelle who was becoming more and more irritated by the second.  
Annabelle let a small smile form across her lips, knowing it was all in jest. The three young women always did this to each other. Sometimes, however, Annabelle’s emotional attachment to what she considered ‘good’ music hindered her ability to listen to certain mainstream artists and actually enjoy herself. She had her own guilty pleasures when it came to artists that weren’t favored by many, and songs that were, musically speaking, awful. However, sometimes it was difficult not to jam along with some of the mainstream trash that had been created throughout the contemporary years. Annabelle was definitely not one to turn down a good hit with a good beat regardless of how shallow and ineloquent the lyrics were, but her deepest loyalty lie with Merle Haggard and Conway Twitty. She stood by her opinion about Scorpion being a horrible album, but In My Feelings wasn’t a terrible song, and ‘new’ music didn’t always mean ‘mainstream.’ She liked what she liked, and she didn’t see any reason why she should be confined to a label when she indulged in all types of music.

Annabelle and Allie met when they were eleven at a charity event thrown by Annabelle’s mother, Senator Claire Tillman, and Allie’s father, Attorney General Aleksander Novak. Both girls’ parents having been involved in politics for a long time created the common ground on which to build their friendship.  
The two girls began spending much of their time together, especially with their parents not being around much. Annabelle’s father had never been a part of her life, and Allie’s mother had been killed in a car accident when she was four. Although both possessed one living predecessor, it was almost as if they had both been left on their own. As the years progressed, the two blue-eyed girls found themselves more like sisters, but partners in crime nonetheless.  
The girls would spend many nights in their teen years causing mischief, but rarely ever getting caught. Both girls did a lot of partying, but both of their parents had expressed to them that they didn’t care what they did, as long as they didn’t get caught. Eventually, both girls began to bond over more than just the incessant partying and the many girls they would mess around with, and found a common interest in music. Many nights, after drinking and smoking to their heart’s desire and having a good late-night drunken snack, the girls would find themselves sitting with their instruments. Both girls had talented voices, but Annabelle was most passionate about the guitar, and Allie the piano. Annabelle could play many instruments, from the strings of the guitar, cello, and violin, to the keys of the piano, and even knew how to bust out a pretty kickass saxophone solo. Allie learned how to use synthesizers and different software, and eventually Allie became pretty talented as a DJ as well.  
Annabelle met her cousin Francesca, Franky, when her and Allie were fifteen. Franky was three years older than them, but she took great pleasure in messing with the two girls as well as teaching them some of her mischievous tactics. Franky’s mother, having become a cold and vile woman after the departure of Franky’s father, allowed her drinking habits to overtake her entire being, and a seventeen-year-old Franky had enough after years of damnation, due to anger and hatred that was aimed not at her, but the man that had created her. When David left, Franky was devastated. She was just a little girl. Each night that her mother beat her, burned parts of her body that were unseen to public eye with cigarettes. She packed up her things and left their small town in Maine to move to Greenwich, Connecticut to live with Annabelle and Claire when she was eighteen. She would have done so when she turned sixteen, but she knew that would require a whole lot of paperwork and time that she wasn’t bothered to deal with. Instead, she drowned her sorrows and waited until she turned eighteen so she could just disappear to Greenwich to the Tillman estate. It would be a long while before Claire even realized she was there, and an even longer time before her mother realized she had fled.  
However, once Franky arrived, there was no Claire to be seen. What she did see, though, was her little cousin and a blonde-haired blue-eyed girl dressed in bikini tops and shorts, doing body shots of tequila off of two other girls while being cheered on by a large group of people. Franky, never one to back down from a party dropped her bags with a loud thud and walked up to her cousin and the other young girl. It took a minute for a tipsy Annabelle to realize what was happening, and blinked herself back to reality when she saw the brown-haired green-eyed girl enter. The room fell silent for a minute before Franky finally spoke.  
“Well what the fuck, don’t stop on my account! And this,” Franky said, lifting a bottle of tequila that was three quarters of the way gone, “is not going to be enough,” she concluded while taking a healthy sip. The whole room cheered, and from that moment on, Franky, Annabelle, and Allie found them all as partners in crime.  
Franky lived with Annabelle and Claire until she graduated high school a year later, and then moved to New Hampshire to attend SNHU for family law. She wasn’t around all the time for the last couple years of Annabelle and Allie’s high school experience, but she visited when she could, kept in regular contact with the two younger girls, and made sure to attend their high school graduation. Upon deciding to go home to spend the summer with, the girls she jokingly referred to as ‘the A-team,’ Franky also decided to bring a friend home to visit for the summer with her.  
Franky met Kim Chang at SNHU, and they casually hooked up a couple times but it was never serious. Eventually they decided it was best to call it quits and remain friends while not continuing with what was usually a drunken fumble following their late night escapades. Kim’s parents lived back in Thailand, and she would be visiting them after spending a month with Franky and her family back in Connecticut over the summer.  
Following the graduation of the A-team, Franky threw them an after party filled with ‘booze, blunts, and bitches,’ as Franky referred to it. Annabelle, Allie, and Franky had all come to find that they shared a common attraction to women, so it made being each other’s wingman a lot easier. However, nothing prepared any of the girls for what would emerge between Kim and Annabelle. After a long night of partying, Franky had stumbled up to bed with a random girl, and Allie was passed out on the couch with her hand still inside an almost empty bag of flaming hot Cheetos. Kim and Annabelle sat at the kitchen island, a bottle of Jack between them, as they drunkenly talked to each other about everything.  
The conversation turned to relationships, and Annabelle couldn’t help but laugh when Kim asked her if she had been with a woman before. Annabelle replied that she had been with many while taking a long swig from the bottle of Jack, a sly grin forming on her face. But, Kim already knew this. She wanted to know if she had been with a woman before, as in a relationship not based solely on sexual attraction.  
“Have you ever allowed someone to see what’s in here?” Kim asked, as she gently trailed a finger from Annabelle’s temple down to her cheek, before relinquishing all contact.  
At this point, Allie had woken up and entered the kitchen, helping herself to a sip of Jack on her way by, in search of a bottle of Gatorade to soothe her dry mouth. Entering the fridge, without looking away from the task at hand, Allie answered for Annabelle after a short moment.  
“She has a longer relationship with the milk inside this fridge than she’s ever had with anyone else besides me or Franky,” Allie replied with a giggle, knowing that herself and Franky alike were the same way.  
“Not true,” Annabelle retorted defensively, “remember that girl I dated for like three weeks? We went on like six dates!” Annabelle exclaimed, although hearing herself say it out loud made her realize how pathetic even that was.  
“There are so many things wrong with what you just said,” Allie replied laughing, still drunk along with the other two girls. Handing the other two girls also a bottle of Gatorade as she joined them at the kitchen island, Allie began to list off on her fingers, “First of all, it was three dates. Second of all, it was like two weeks, which leads me to my final point: that milk has been in your fridge for three.” Allie replied with a wink while taking another swig off the bottle of Jack and chasing it with her purple Gatorade. All three girls laughed uproariously, and the summer began.  
The summer found the four girls traveling to concerts and beaches together, partying, and in Annabelle and Kim’s case, getting closer and closer to one another. It was a weird feeling for Annabelle, letting someone get close to her, because the only relationships she’d ever known were the ones she shared with Allie and Franky. However, most nights would end with Annabelle and Kim still drinking into the wee hours of the morning after Franky and Allie had passed out or gone home with a girl, still talking drunkenly about life together. Franky and Allie could both see something blossoming between the two girls, but it didn’t bother Franky that her and Kim had a past and she could possibly be creating some sort of future with her cousin. Allie, on the other hand, knew all about Annabelle’s emotional issues when it came to getting close to people, and she was just hoping her best friend wasn’t going to get her heart broken after letting someone else get close to her for the first time besides her best friend and her cousin.  
As it neared time for Kim to go back to Thailand, the quad didn’t want their summer of fun to end, especially not Annabelle. Things were slowly becoming deeper for her and Kim, beyond the inebriated kisses and lap dances here and there that were always shared amongst the group, with the exception of Anna kissing her cousin Franky. So, the girls impulsively decided that they were going to take some time off from school while Annabelle and Allie decided to put off college, so that they could all travel together. They got all the necessary documentation in order, packed a few suitcases with only the bare essentials, and set off on their journey to experience another part of the world. They spent a couple months in Thailand with Kim’s family and, when Kim’s parents expressed to her their desire to move to Ireland, the girls took it as another opportunity to explore another country they had never seen.  
Somewhere along the tangent of their escapades through Asia and Europe, Kim and Annabelle found themselves in love. One night, after going home earlier and more sober than usual, the two sat down for one of their late night chats, which turned into something electric. It was raw, it was real, it was intense, and it was everything Annabelle thought she would never feel before. She found it strange that someone other than Franky or Allie had found a way to make her laugh, smile, open up, and most importantly, feel. The four girls spent two years traipsing all over Europe together, taking in all that the foreign countries had to offer. Annabelle and Allie had visited places, but none like the ones they visited with Franky and Kim by their sides. Annabelle loved that she was seeing all these new places, experiencing new things, and that she had someone she loved by her side to share it with.  
They partied together, traveled together, laughed, cried, danced, and experienced many parts of life all together. But, at the end of the night when Allie and Franky would find themselves passed out or naked in bed with another nameless woman, Kim and Annabelle would retire to bed together. When Allie and Franky decided to hit a strip club, Annabelle and Kim would make use of the privacy. Most importantly, when they went out to party and an unwelcome party would try it on one of the girls, Kim and Annabelle didn’t have to lie when they said, “I’m here with my girlfriend.” Things were amazing, until they weren’t anymore.  
Kim’s parents, not getting any younger, began to take ill, and Kim felt it was her duty as their daughter to give up her partying life and take care of them. The girls had all began to discuss college over the past few months. Franky wanted to return to SNHU to finish her degree, and Allie and Annabelle were highly considering attending the same school. Talk of returning to the states had become more and more frequent, and Kim knew that it was now or never; that the longer she put it off, the more it would hurt.  
After everything the two girls had been through together, all the shared connections, gentle caresses, and whispering sweet nothings before drifting off into slumber, she knew it was going to be as hard for Annabelle to hear as it was for her to say. But, she knew that she couldn’t hold Annabelle back from what she wanted to accomplish. She knew that Annabelle’s love for music deepened, she could see it in her eyes the way her whole face would light up when they attended a show, or when Annabelle would strum her guitar, serenading Kim with her deepest thoughts and feelings. Kim knew Annabelle had potential to make it really big with her music, and she wanted nothing more for her than that. But, she knew that, to make that happen, she would have to sacrifice the late nights and early mornings, where they found themselves completely bare, hardly being covered by the sheets, as Annabelle strummed her guitar strings and sang about how much she loved the young woman in front of her.  
Annabelle took Kim’s decision very hard. They weren’t set to go back to the states for a couple more weeks, so Anna spent those weeks locked in her hotel room with Allie, Jack Daniels, and her guitar. Allie was not angry with Kim for the decision she made, but she was disappointed that she had allowed Kim to let her best friend down and break her heart. Allie felt guilty, she had spent most of their travels drunk, stoned, and swimming in a sea of women with Franky. Not that she wished she could change that her best friend had fallen in love, she just wished that things didn’t need to work out the way they had, that things could have worked out differently for her two friends. She loved Annabelle like her own sister, but yet Kim had become very important to her as well. Anna was always Allie’s #1, but Kim held a special place in her heart too. Kim had become very close to all three girls, not just Annabelle. She was there to help carry a stumbling Allie out of the bars, she was there to rub her back as she vomited, she was there whenever Allie was in need of a laugh, but most importantly she was there to protect Annabelle, even on the off occasion that Allie was not. That was the thing that bothered her the most about the whole situation. The most, the very most important thing that held up the foundation of Allie and Kim’s friendship, was that Allie had learned to trust her with one of the most important things to her: Annabelle’s heart.  
Franky was lost as to what to do. She loved her cousin and her two best friends very much, and she was finding it difficult not picking sides, and she didn’t want to. Kim tried and tried to get Franky to talk to Annabelle, and see if there was any chance of forgiveness and some sort of relationship, even if only a friendship, to be salvaged between them. Franky understood Kim’s predicament, and she did not blame her for wanting to do right by her culture and honor her family. But, her cousin was completely broken, so Franky told Kim that Annabelle would talk to her if and when she was ready.  
Unfortunately, that did not happen before the girls were scheduled to make their way back to the states.  
In one last attempt at forgiveness, Kim convinced Franky to give her their flight information so that she could say one last goodbye to the girls who had helped shape who she had become over the last few years. Pulling up to the airport, each of the three women had a different expression on their face when they saw Kim Chang standing in front of the check in desks, with a gift bag in one hand and an I Love You balloon in the other. Franky’s green eyes sparkled as she wore her usual shit-eating grin, hoping this would show her cousin that their dear Kim was only doing what she felt she needed to. Allie was confused, but still rushed to her friend and gave her a big goodbye hug. Annabelle, however, froze on the spot and did not move as her cousin and best friend gave their hugs of finality to the woman that had broken her heart and dragged it through the streets of Ireland.  
Kim approached Annabelle with the gift bag and the balloon, and began to express her regret for hurting the blue-eyed auburn-haired girl.  
“Oh, my Anna,” she said, moving the balloon and bag to the same hand, in an attempt to reach out for Annabelle with her free one, but Annabelle shied away with a look of betrayal on her face. “This isn’t what I wanted for us. These last few years with you have been amazing, and I am so truly grateful that shared your heart with me. I know you trusted me, and I let you down, but…” She continued, but was halted as Annabelle began to remove one of her earrings. She was about to ask what she was doing, when Annabelle took the earring and stabbed it through the balloon causing a loud popping noise. As she turned to walk away, Kim grabbed her arm and forced the bag into her hands. As she began to walk away, she turned to Annabelle one last time and said, “I will always love you, Anna” with finality before exiting the airport.  
After checking in and boarding their flight, Annabelle finally allowed herself to open the gift bag. Inside, she found a few items that marked the beginning of the life-changing journey she began two years ago, when the girls first arrived in Thailand. She found a carton of Thai cigarettes, the one and only type she would actually smoke, a picture of all four girls attending a Wiz Khalifa concert mere hours after Franky had begun the sleeve on her right arm, and a small box. Opening the box, she found a set of red beads, which she recognized as the Buddhist prayer beads that Kim always wore.  
Annabelle sighed. She put the items back into the gift bag, except for the small box, and slid it back under the seat in front of her. She held the rectangular structure in her hands for a good ten minutes before opening it again. She put the beads around her neck, and proceeded to lay her head on a sleeping Allie’s shoulder, as sleep too overtook her.

“You know what I’ve always wondered?” Annabelle asked, following Allie and Franky’s impromptu performance on their way to move into SNHU.  
“How we put up with your constant bitching?” Franky retorted flatly, not at all averting her attention from the road.  
“Piss off,” came from Annabelle, as she leaned into the front seat and slapped Franky on the arm. “No but seriously though,”  
“What is it that you have always wondered?” Allie asked, grinning at Annabelle, ignoring Franky’s yammering from the driver’s side.  
“Well, why is Drake so concerned if Keke still loves him, I thought he only loved his bed and his mama…” Annabelle trailed off while referencing Drake’s song ‘God’s Plan,’ feigning a look and tone of confusion.  
All three girls erupted into fits of laughter as they continued their journey to Manchester, New Hampshire where they would be moving into their dorms. Annabelle and Allie were moving into one of the suites in Hampton Hall, which was a new dorm building where a series of four bedrooms are all clustered together with a large bathroom and living area to share. Franky, since she was an upperclassman, was moving into the newly built Monadnock Hall, and didn’t even have a roommate. As they continued their drive, Allie had fallen asleep as Franky drove, and Annabelle looked out the window, absentmindedly playing with the beads around her neck.  
“She misses you, you know,” Franky said softly, making eye contact with Annabelle in the rearview mirror, giving her a sad look.  
“I miss her too. But this is what she wanted,” Annabelle began, absentmindedly looking down and fiddling with the beads once more. Taking a deep breath, she continued, “you know I could never deny her anything she wanted, Franks.” Annabelle replied in a somber, defeated tone. She had spent the last two months attempting to drown the memory that was Kim Chang in liquor and marijuana, but she still found herself feeling cold at night, turning around to find the queen size bed feeling more than a mild wide.  
The subject was dropped as a large sign reading Southern New Hampshire University came into view. Annabelle shook a grumpy Allie awake and, after laughing at the mark the seatbelt had left on Allie’s face, all three girls began to cheer and chant, ready for this new chapter to begin. Franky’s face lit up as she pulled into the parking lot to Monadnock Hall, just as the recipient of the closest parking space vacated. Not one to miss such an opportunity, she pulled into the spot and shut the car off. Allie and Annabelle looked to one another in confusion, as this was not their dorm.  
“Sorry bitches,” Franky said while unbuckling her seatbelt, “but it’s not every day a parking space like this comes along so looks like your asses are walking.”  
The girls began to protest, but Franky said that, since they would be all going out later, they could just grab a bag or two for now and leave the rest in the car for the time being. The girls reluctantly agreed and began their walk all the way to Hampton Hall, as Annabelle lit up one of the Thai cigarettes that had sat amongst her frivolous belongings for the past two months.  
“I can’t believe you’re really gonna smoke those things,” Allie said with a disgusted look.  
“What?” Annabelle said, blowing out a cloud of smoke in Allie’s direction, “you’ve never been one to turn down a square before,” Annabelle answered quizzically.  
“Yeah, but you’ve had that carton of squares sitting around for months,” Allie said disgustedly, as Annabelle laughed at her odd terminology for what a ‘cigarette’ was called, that she had eventually acquired.  
“Well,” Annabelle started, still giggling, “looks like I have a longer relationship with these ‘squares’ than you’ve ever had with anyone, besides that trick-or-treat sized bag of skittles you found at the back of your night stand well into the month of March,” Annabelle retorted, as she dodged a swatting hand from Allie, and they continued their descent towards Hampton Hall.  
As the Gustafson Center came into view, Allie commented on how it resembled a ski lodge they had stayed at in the Swiss Alps during their travels.  
“Oh my god, it totally does,” Annabelle said, grinning at the memory. “Remember when Franky was chatting up that bartender?” she said, beginning to lose herself in the laughter that came with the memory.  
“How could I forget?” Allie exclaimed, while gasping for breath due to her own laughter. “And then that dude stepped in and asked if he could join them, right when she gave Franky her number.”  
“I DON’T EAT SAUSAGE, I’M A VAGITARIAN,” they both exclaimed loudly while finding themselves in another fit of laughter.  
Hearing a slight chuckle, signaling that their conversation was no longer private, the two girls looked up to see two curly haired women, the one with red hair staring at them in bewilderment, as the curly blonde stifled her laughter. Annabelle turned back to Allie to give her typical ‘wow, awkward,’ look, but it was what she saw that made the situation more awkward. Allie was full on checking out the older red-haired woman staring at them with wide eyes. Annabelle was about to say something when Allie lost her footing and tripped over her own suitcase. As Allie quickly regained her composure, Annabelle just stood by dying of laughter, not noticing that another set of blue eyes had now focused themselves on Annabelle before taking off into the Gustafson Center.

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a short filler chapter. Simone and Annabelle question Bea and Allie on their brief interaction, and Allie and Annabelle both learn something new.

I Seen’t It

Simone smiled knowingly as her and her sister entered the building, but not after taking a moment to check out the auburn-haired punk that had been aside the blonde her sister seemed to have spotted. Bea had never really had relationships. She dated a little in college, but threw herself into her work following the death of their parents. She never expressed interest in another woman, though, especially, and Simone knew that look. Having witnessed the exchange, Simone could vouch for the fact that the two girls had looked at each other like one looks at a blue slushy on a hot day.  
“What was that?” Simone asked quietly, while raising an eyebrow at her big sister.  
“What was what?” Bea asked hoarsely, due to the dry spell that came across her throat when she witnessed the gorgeous blue-eyed blonde in the parking lot. Wow, she thought to herself, how is she even real? She asked herself, then suddenly shaking the thoughts from her head. She was a respected professor at this school, and she probably shouldn’t be lusting after the young girl who was obviously a student.   
“Beatrice, come on,” Simone said, looking at her sister in a way that said ‘yes, I just used your full name, and no, I’m not stupid.’  
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Bea said with finality. Deciding to leave it for now, Simone and Bea found their seats as the meeting began.  
During the meeting, Bea’s thoughts wandered again to the young blonde she had seen outside, and the moment of electricity that seemed to flow between them from all those feet away. She had to stifle a chuckle as she remembered the girl tripping over her own luggage. However, there was only one daunting question that Bea was unsure of the answer to: would she ever see this girl again? She could easily have been helping the other girl move into her dorm, not move into one herself. Bea wasn’t sure what scared her more, the fact that she may never bump into the beautiful stranger again, or that she would, and the stranger could quite possibly end up being one of her students.  
Simone was lost in thought also, as the Dean of the school gave his introductory speech. Her thoughts drifted to the conversation that her and Bea shared earlier that morning, as well as her parents. Simone never really allowed herself to get close to anybody following the death of her parents. She’d attempted a relationship with a woman named Karen in the past, but the relationship was over before it really began, because Simone was still unable to put the death of Victoria and Joseph behind her. Her and Karen remained friends, but all the years of loneliness left Simone wondering if she was worthy of being loved. She was hoping she could find some answers as to what her purpose was, as she began this new chapter in her life at SNHU. Her thoughts then drifted to the events in the parking lot before the meeting, and she grinned at the memory of hearing such a crudely hilarious comment, as well as a young college girl literally tripping over her sister. Finally, she allowed her mind to land on the short glimpse she got at the girl beside the blonde. Everything about this girl screamed rebellion, with her auburn hair streaked with blonde, her wrist full of bracelets, the guitar case littered with stickers and writing, and her worn out jean jacket littered with patches and the odd rip, not to mention the cigarette in her hand as she exhaled clouds of smoke through her nose and mouth like a dragon. It was in this moment that Simone realized that she had also found herself attracted to a young college girl, and her thoughts began to mirror Bea’s; she was unsure as to whether it scared her more that she may never see the young blue-eyed rebel again, or that she would, and she could be one of Simone’s students

“Christ Novak, stare any further into space maybe you’ll witness the big bang,” Annabelle teased, breaking the silence as they unpacked their clothes and began putting them away.  
“Fuck off, dickhead,” Allie retorted, as Annabelle ducked the pillow being thrown at her head by the blonde. After a few more minutes of silence, Annabelle spoke again.  
“Her name is Bea Smith, by the way,” Annabelle said plainly, not bothering to face Allie as she folded her clothes and continued putting them in their rightful drawers. The bedrooms in the suites weren’t huge, but they weren’t cramped either. Not wanting to miss a chance to be close to one another, they took one of the bigger double bedrooms and left the singles for their other four future suite mates.   
“Huh?” Allie asked from her bed, looking up from her phone in bewilderment.  
“The redhead that you were checking out earlier,” Annabelle started, “I SEEN’T IT!” she exclaimed, quoting Pineapple Express, one of their favorite movies. As Allie’s laughter subsided, Annabelle continued. “She’s known for photographing a lot of album covers,” Annabelle said, handing a couple of CDs to Allie who was mesmerized by the photos on the front. Some were the whole band, some were pictures of places, and some were pictures of something as simple as a statue that had been hit with the perfect amount of light just at the right time, or a lone tree in the middle of the desert, relishing in the gold glow given off by the sun illuminating the sand.  
“Wow,” Allie said, impressed. Handing the CD cases back to Annabelle and trying to push the attention off herself, she began with a smirk, “The ass on the blonde, though? Top shelf, man,” Allie said, while making the ‘ok’ sign with her fingers.  
Annabelle vaguely remembered the sound of quiet laughter, and a quick glimpse at a head of curly blonde hair receding toward the building upon them before she focused her attention to Allie, who had found herself literally falling for a woman at first glance. I wonder if I’ll ever see her again.  
“I hadn’t noticed,” Annabelle stated simply.   
“Well,” Allie said, as her smirk grew into the equivalent of Franky’s shit-eating grin, moving to lay on her stomach with her head in her hands to face Annabelle, “I checked out both of their asses, and they’re definitely sisters.” Allie stated. It was a talent Allie had, she could easily identify people by their ass, it was weird but it was true. She almost knew Annabelle and Franky more by the shape of their backsides than the look of their faces. After thinking for a moment, something dawned on Allie, as if she had just figured out the answer to the final jeopardy question. “OH. MY. GOD.” Allie exclaimed.  
“What?” Annabelle asked, averting her gaze from the dressers she was stuffing full of clothes, confused by her friend’s sudden outburst.  
“That’s not just a hot blonde,” Allie said, “THAT’S SIMONE FUCKING BRADLEY!” Allie said, excitedly.  
Annabelle looked at Allie puzzled, “What is a Simone Fucking Bradley?” asked Annabelle, still confused. Annabelle’s confusion only grew as Allie rolled her eyes, made her way to Annabelle’s suitcase, and began digging around. “Excuse me Novak, your shit is over there,” Annabelle said, giving Allie a playful shove. A few seconds later, Allie found the beat up paperback poetry book entitled New Eyes, and looked at Annabelle with a smirk.  
“Ha! I know you always bring this anywhere you’ll be staying for the night, and I mean actually staying all the way through the night, if you know what I mean,” Allie said, shooting Annabelle a wink. Annabelle clearly was not getting the point, so Allie rolled her eyes once more at the density of her friend as she turned the book over, revealing a picture that, if it had not been so worn and frayed, would resemble the curly blonde that the girls encountered just mere hours before. “Recognize the name now?” Allie asked retreating back to her own bed and picking her phone back up.  
Annabelle just stared at the back of the book, wondering how it was possible that the writer of the words that she felt all the way to her core, the words that helped her over and over again in the months where Annabelle was broken up over Kim, just so happened to be on the same college campus as her. Deciding to put the thoughts to the back of her mind, Annabelle sat back on her bed and quietly strummed her guitar while they waited to hear from Franky about their plans for the night.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another filler chapter, but a little humor to tide everyone over. Thomas is now on campus with his sisters, and it's the first day of classes for everyone. Allie and Annabelle run into Simone again after an important rescue mission,

Snack Pack

The first day of classes were amongst them, and Annabelle had already been awake for the past half hour. She was in the middle of grabbing her backpack with all her essentials, as well as a few snacks, when she realized something was missing.  
“NOVAK!” Annabelle yelled angrily through the suite from their small kitchen area.   
“SHUT THE FUCK UP!” Katherine, one of the suite mates, yelled from behind the closed door of the single bedroom closest to the kitchen. In addition to the snarky Katherine St. Germain, Allie and Annabelle had three other suite mates. Lauren, or ‘Collins’ as she preferred, occupied the other single suite. In addition, two girls by the name of Samantha and Sydney occupied the other double. They had yet to all sit down and get to know each other, but they all hoped that there wouldn’t be any major difficulties between the six young girls sharing a suite.  
Shaking her head, Annabelle continued down the small hallway to her and Allie’s room. Annabelle couldn’t help but laugh at Allie and her sleeping habits; Allie was the messiest sleeper, and the girl could sleep through just about anything. Annabelle was sure that the SWAT team could raid their dorm, and Allie would be unaware until she felt the cold metal of an Uzi against the side of her face. Allie was on her stomach, one leg under the covers, with one arm under her pillow and one hanging off the bed, as her mouth laid part way open eliciting a small stream of drool. Gross.  
“NOVAK!” Annabelle yelled again, while giving Allie a firm spank on the ass, which woke her right up.  
“Dude it’s like the middle of the night, what do you want?” Allie groaned, while covering her head with her pillow.  
“It’s seven…” Annabelle replied, “7:09 a.m. to be exact.”  
“Exactly, the middle of the night,” said Allie, her voice muffled by the pillow over her face.  
“Okay, two things,” Annabelle began, ripping the pillow from Allie’s grasp, as Allie rubbed her pools of blue. “First off, we both have class at eight, and unlike you, I can’t wake up fifteen minutes before I need to leave, like you can,” Annabelle explained. “Secondly,” Annabelle continued, moving her face closer to Allie’s with a look of pure death in her eyes, “Where the actual fuck are the snack packs?” Annabelle demanded.  
Allie reached for her duffel bag that she had packed full of munchies before her and the other two girls left Greenwich. Opening the bag, Allie was shocked to only see her twelve bags of hot Cheetos, and a bag of gummy bears. Gone were the large boxes of snack packs, boxes of cheez-its, and the bag of assorted mini Hershey bars.  
Looking up into Annabelle’s eyes, widened with a look of pure rage, they both clenched their jaws and said in unison, through gritted teeth, “Franky.”  
As if a large bucket of freezing cold water had been dumped on her, Allie jumped up from her bed, threw clothes on, grabbed her backpack, and headed for the exit of the suite like a bat out of hell. “Let’s go save our snacks,” Allie yelled over her shoulder before exiting the suite.

Bea, Simone, and Thomas all drove to campus together on Monday morning for the first day of classes. Although Thomas had since moved into the dorms, he decided to spend the night before with his sisters at their house, a short ten minutes from campus. Thomas was very grateful for all his sisters had done for him, even when he wasn’t always deserving of their support. However, as it was a new start for Simone as well, this was his chance for a new start. Thomas knew he couldn’t take back the years of distress he caused following the death of their father, but he knew that he could move forward and make it up to his sisters by bettering himself and earning a college degree.  
As the three siblings pulled into the staff parking lot, Bea announced that she needed to stop by her office before her first class of the day, but would catch up with them later. As she dismissed herself, Simone and Thomas continued walking in the same direction: Simone towards Gustafson, and Thomas towards the dining hall a couple buildings down, sharing small talk along the way.   
Simone and Thomas shared more similarities than her and Bea, due to the paternal difference, but there were still traces of Bea in him as well. Thomas stood at six feet tall, with strawberry blonde curly hair, and a pair of brown eyes just a couple shades lighter than Bea’s. Thomas almost looked like what Simone and Bea would create if the two of them had a child.  
Upon the siblings’ arrival at Gustafson for Simone to pick up some last minute things from the career development department, Simone noticed Thomas’s attention had strayed to a few meters behind her.  
“Wow,” Thomas said, following a long slow whistle, “now that is a woman,” Thomas concluded. Simone turned around and was met by the same giggling blonde and auburn-haired girls from just a few days before. It was then that she noticed that they both had their arms weighed down with numerous boxes of snack packs and other junk food, which her little brother had the same guilty pleasure for.  
Simone had to laugh at his comment, especially after hearing the comment that had been made three days prior. As she replayed the exclamation in her head, she couldn’t stop her laughter from growing into a full on fit. Yeah, but you’re not their type of woman it seems, Simone thought to herself.  
Finally realizing that they were no longer alone in their laughter about something completely different, both girls looked up and locked eyes with a laughing Simone and a retreating Thomas who was shaking his head in confusion.

“I swear I will end her life one day,” Allie complained, as her and Annabelle retreated from Monadnock Hall. Franky was not at all impressed by their early morning visit, and continued to say that she was getting her beauty sleep, which, according to Franky, the other two so desperately still needed considering it was so early and their ‘ugly mugs’ were staring back at her, which could only mean that they needed more beauty sleep. After both retorted with a brutal ‘fuck you,’ they pushed their way into Franky’s single dorm room and rescued their copious amount of snacks from the closet.  
“Girl I was ready to end her life as soon as I saw she took the snack packs,” Annabelle replied, while shifting the weight of the items she was carrying to make it more comfortable.  
“Well at least our snacks are back to being safe with us,” Allie giggled. “Besides, we all know what a food critic she is, she would probably eat them all then complain about how ‘disgusting’ they were afterward.”  
“Oh don’t even get me started,” Annabelle replied, “there was a time where we went out to a diner and she sent back her burger because they put the lettuce and tomato underneath the patty instead of on top,” Annabelle said with an eye roll.  
“No fucking way,” Allie said.  
“Oh yes,” Annabelle countered. “She made the waiter her bitch. She said to him ‘do you want a tomato that goes down like jelly? Do you like tomato jelly in your mouth?’” Both girls erupted into an uproarious fit of laughter. Once it subsided enough for Annabelle to speak, she continued, “She then proceeded to say to him ‘you basically just handed me a bowl of wet meat. And I CANNOT FOR THE LIFE OF ME remember looking through the menu and ordering a bowl of meat.’” Annabelle said, in her perfect Franky voice. After getting her laughter under control once again, Annabelle continued to explain that, after the waiter offered to bring her a new burger, she retorted with, “yeah okay, cool. Why don’t you grab yourself a new attitude while you’re back there, ‘Michael’.” Both girls erupted into fits of laughter again, and it was only then that the sudden feeling of deja vu occurred. Turning to their right, they were met by the curly blonde from three days prior, and what seemed to be a male hybrid of said blonde and the curly redhead slowly retreating toward the dining hall, although the blonde was mirroring a slightly larger-scale of the same comedic reaction to the younger girls’ previous conversation she had witnessed.   
Once their eyes locked, all three girls continued to laugh uncontrollably. Unfortunately, now it was Annabelle’s turn to be embarrassed as a box of snack packs and her value size box of easy mac tumbled to the ground. Annabelle tried to pick up the items one-handedly without putting down the rest, when she was met by the long slender fingers of the curly blonde lightly placing the fallen items atop the rest of the items in Annabelle’s grasp. Annabelle and Simone locked eyes for a brief moment as Allie broke the silence.  
“Well, hello again,” Allie said dubiously with her trademark grin.  
“Hi, it’s nice to see you on your feet,” Simone retorted as Allie and Annabelle both began to giggle. “My little brother Thomas was actually just expressing his thoughts about the two of you carrying loads of junk food. In his exact words, ‘now that is a woman.’” Simone rambled.   
“And what’s your name?” Annabelle asked inquisitively, finally allowing herself to fully take in the blonde standing in front of her. Her hair was tied up in a casual up do, and her crisp white button down was secured inside the waist of her black pencil skirt, which she expertly paired with a pair of black Marc Jacobs ankle boots. Damn. Annabelle thought to herself, the things I would do to that woman wearing nothing but those heels.  
“My students call me Ms. Bradley,” Simone said, fully aware of the attention she was getting from Annabelle, but unaware of the blonde next to her grinning like a Cheshire cat at the exchange.  
“I’m not your student,” Annabelle retorted.  
“Not yet,” Simone said cryptically, knowing that, if they were freshmen, they would likely have to end up taking her class at one point or another, as English 100 was a requirement for all freshmen.  
“Well, that’s the best news I’ve heard all day,” Annabelle said. “My name is Annabelle, and this creature is my friend Allie,” she continued, with a slight nod in Allie’s direction.  
“Well ladies, it was nice to meet you officially, but all of that looks very heavy, and I’m sure you both have classes to be heading to,” Simone stated, knowing that being late for her first class on her first day of teaching at SNHU would not look good. “If you’ll excuse me…” Simone trailed off with a small wave as she headed towards the entrance to the Gustafson center.  
“Wait!” Annabelle yelled, as Simone was about to grab the door handle. Once Simone turned around, Annabelle continued, “I’m not your student yet, so how about giving me that name?” Annabelle challenged with a quirked eyebrow. Annabelle already knew that this was Simone Bradley in the flesh, but she wanted to test the waters and see if Simone would let her professional façade drop long enough to confirm what she knew to be true.  
“Simone. Simone Bradley,” she answered. With a slight smile, she turned to enter the building, unaware of the two pairs of blue eyes glued to her backside as her hips swayed in her black pencil skirt. Wow, that ass really is top shelf, Annabelle thought to herself.  
She was brought out of her daze when the box of easy mac slid out of her grip once again and hit the ground, and Allie just laughed. Annabelle put down all the items in an attempt to reorganize them in her grip and hopefully not drop anything else. Once they were on their way again, to drop off the snacks at their suite before class, Allie leaned into Annabelle’s ear and said quietly, “how’s that for a snack pack?”


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Allie and Annabelle attend their first class of the year at SNHU, and it doesn't go as initially expected. Some drama will arise, but I promise it won't be for too long and it will open up a lot of other story lines. Annabelle confides in a new friend, and realizes that her own advice isn't as easy to follow as she thinks.

Extra Credit

 

After excusing herself from the company of her brother and sister, Bea Smith made her way towards her office in Belknap Hall. She still had forty-five minutes until her first class of the day began: SNHU 101. SNHU 101 is what most students considered a joke and didn’t understand why it was a requirement, but Bea always found it to be a very fulfilling class to teach, and she even felt as if she had learned something by the end of the semester. The object of the class was to learn about different things going on in the world currently, and how we can all be kinder to one another and make the world a better place to live in. However, the class was only once a week at an hour and fifteen minutes long, so Bea could never entirely understand why it seemed to be such a hardship for some of her students to attend.  
Sitting down at her desk with her cup of coffee, Bea began to get her lesson plans in order. After a few minutes though, Bea’s thoughts began to wander again to the giggly blonde she had crossed paths with only three days prior. Part of her internally chastised herself for going straight to her office instead of accompanying Simone to the Gustafson Center again, giving up the small chance that she may run into the blonde again. She then realized that she didn’t even know if the blonde girl was a student and, even if she was, it was no guarantee that they would run into each other again. SNHU was a decent sized campus, and Manchester was the biggest city in the state.  
Pushing thoughts of the blonde to the back of her mind, Bea continued to get her things in order for the first class of the new school year. Looking up at the clock and seeing that it was quarter to eight, she grabbed her class list and laptop before exiting Belknap Hall and heading towards the Hospitality Center building to begin the day.

After obtaining her necessary documents and credentials, Simone began her trek over to Robert Frost Hall. Along the walk, she allowed thoughts of Annabelle to drift to the forefront of her mind. She was unsure how to feel about the fact that she had run into the young woman again. On one hand, Simone couldn’t help but relish in the fact that the attractive undergrad was looking at her like a five-course dinner. On the other hand, it confirmed Simone’s suspicion as to whether or not the younger woman was a student. This was where Simone’s thoughts began to reach in every which direction, thinking about every possible outcome while still not being sure what to expect. Annabelle was a student, which meant Allie was too. Simone smirked internally at the fact, knowing that it was only a matter of time before her big sister bumped into Allie again, or rather put her on her ass. However, Simone still was unsure what she would do if Annabelle turned out to be her student. Not that anything had blossomed between them, but being attracted to a student would certainly complicate things for the young professor.

I guess I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it.

Allie and Annabelle sat in room 315 of the Hospitality Center, waiting for their SNHU 101 class to begin. It was ten minutes to eight a.m., and far too early for Allie’s liking. Both girls only had one other class that day though, so it would leave plenty of time for them to have a nap before connecting with Franky and seeing what shenanigans they could get themselves into. After returning to the suite to drop off their snacks that they rescued from the tattooed brunette, both blue-eyed girls grabbed their backpacks and laptops before heading to the class that they now sat in.  
“Dude, this is so you,” Annabelle said with a laugh, allowing Allie to glimpse at her laptop screen. There was a meme with a picture of Spongebob Squarepants surrounded by fire with the caption ‘when you kill the whole verse with no mistakes.’ Allie laughed uproariously as she asked Annabelle to tag her in said meme.  
“And I’ll have you know,” Allie began, while grabbing her phone to check her Facebook account and save the meme, “that’s only when it comes to Ice Ice Baby.” She concluded, while looking up at Annabelle with a raised eyebrow.   
“Oh not even!” Annabelle exclaimed, while scrolling further down her timeline. “As sad as it is, you’re the best rapper I know! Sure other people write the songs but you’re the only one I know who can crush a verse just mere hours after hearing it for the first time,” Annabelle said with a mock eye roll. It was almost frustrating sometimes, Annabelle would spend days struggling to write as well as remember the changes she made to a strong, meanwhile Allie was almost singing a song word for word after hearing it once!  
“Oh this one is you!” Allie exclaimed, turning her phone to Annabelle. There was a meme with a heading that said ‘the angel,’ and had a Victoria’s Secret model strutting down the runway in an enormous pair of wings and sunglasses, with the caption ‘me arriving in heaven after everybody thought I was going to hell.’  
Both girls erupted into fits of laughter, as Annabelle pushed Allie off her swivel chair, which landed her on the floor. The fits of laughter from the two young girls, as well as the murmur of conversations from the other students, were soon brought to a halt as the door opened and a certain redhead with curly hair entered the room, setting her belongings at the front of the class.  
Allie’s mouth went dry as she looked up to see the same redhead from Friday in front of the Gustafson Center setting up her papers and connecting her laptop to the monitor that would transfer the images to the projector. Bea had not seen her yet, as she had been on the floor when said redhead walked in. She slowly scrambled her way back into her chair, while glaring at a silently laughing Annabelle.  
Seeing movement out of the corner of her eye, Bea looked over to see the young blonde from Friday quickly trying to pull herself off the floor back into her chair without being noticed. Bea looked back to her screen and grinned to herself. Is she going to be on the ground every time I run into her? After a few moments, Bea realized that the clock was about to strike 8 a.m., so she decided to begin class. Bea moved to sit on the table at the front facing the class, and began to address her students.  
“Good morning,” she began with a warm smile, “My name is Professor Smith, but in this class you can call me Bea,” she continued. She went on to explain the objective of the class, the attendance policy, etc., and proceeded to take attendance. She called out a smattering of names in alphabetical order, secretly going back and forth with wondering what the name of the young blonde was, and praying to god that she wasn’t going to end up being in the wrong class. She hoped it wasn’t the latter. “Alessia Novak,” Bea said, looking up at the class. The blue-eyed blonde raised her hand sheepishly, allowing blue to meet brown, while elbowing a giggling Annabelle.  
“I prefer Allie, though,” the blonde replied, while trying to ignore Annabelle quietly making fun of her government name. Allie had never been a huge fan of her full name, opting to shorten it to the oh-so-ordinary ‘Allie.’ She found it pretentious, and felt that her parents just wanted to be ‘extra’ with her name to coincide with their other wealthy friends.  
Once Bea finished attendance and all the important things were out of the way, she fully addressed the class again. “Okay,” she began, “Now, how about we go around the room and we say our name, major, and something unique about us. I’ll go first,” she continued. Thinking for a moment, Bea spoke again. “My name is Bea Smith, I have a degree in photography as well as journalism, and I have a younger brother and younger sister who are both also here on campus.” She concluded. Bea looked towards a student at the front who continued the same spiel, going around the room. Eventually, it was Annabelle’s turn.  
“Hey, I’m Annabelle,” she began, with a small wave towards the rest of the class. “I’m a general studies major as of right now, and something unique about me…” she trailed off before beginning again while looking up at Bea. “I own a few of the albums that you photographed the covers of, and I think you’re very talented.” Annabelle concluded with a shy smile. Bea smiled, and nodded her head in thanking acknowledgement, before looking over to Allie for her to conclude the round of introductions.  
“That was gonna be mine!” Allie hissed as she elbowed Annabelle in the side, after taking her ‘unique fact’ idea. “Hi, I’m Allie,” she began with a sigh, addressing the rest of the class. “I’m a journalism major, and something unique about me is that I’m actually a pretty talented DJ.” Allie concluded with a smirk and a raised eyebrow towards the rest of the class, and then eventually her red headed teacher.  
Their eyes met again for a brief moment, as Allie quirked her eyebrow earlier while trailing her eyes slowly up the length of Bea’s body. I wouldn’t mind doing some extra credit for her. It was only a few mere seconds, seconds that went unnoticed by all the other students, before Bea finally looked up to address the class again. Unnoticed by everyone except for Annabelle.  
Bea began to explain the assignment that would be due the following week, as Allie and Annabelle listened intently. Well, Allie listened, Annabelle was relishing in the quick sideways glances that their teacher kept making towards Allie, while Allie focused all of her attention on the redhead. Finally bringing the class to a close, Bea bid her class a good week before returning to the table at the front of the class to collect her belongings.  
Allie and Annabelle began to collect their belongings, before heading towards the front of the class. On their way past the front of the class, Allie trailed her fingertips lightly across the table Bea was standing at with her belongings, before uttering a sultry, “Bye,” and exiting the classroom with Annabelle. Bea’s breath hitched as she watched the blonde undergrad sway her hips with each step she took towards the exit.  
Once exiting the classroom and walking down the stairwell, Annabelle turned to Allie with a serious look. “What the hell are you doing,” she demanded quietly as they descended the stairs, walking towards the student center to grab a coffee before their next classes.  
“What are you talking about?” Allie asked, shocked at her friend’s new demeanor. Allie had noticed Annabelle smirking at her interactions with Bea during class, so she was confused what must have changed in the last five minutes.  
“You know what!” Annabelle exclaimed quietly as they exited the building. Once the group of students ahead of them was far enough out of earshot, Annabelle continued, “Look, I know you think she’s hot and stuff, but you can’t keep pulling shit like that. It could land both of you in a ton of shit, and we both know that neither one of our parents would be impressed if they think that we came to college just to try and bone our teachers.”   
Annabelle didn’t like when she had to get stern with her best friend, but she felt it was needed at this particular moment. She knew her friend had an infatuation with the brown-eyed professor, but outright flirting with her like that could be dangerous, especially on school property surrounded by other students. Annabelle couldn’t give two fucks really what either of their parents had to say. They were both too stuck up their own ass to really give a shit about what went on in their children’s lives, having not even noticed that they took off to Thailand until two weeks later. But, that wasn’t all she was worried about. Annabelle knew that look on her friend’s face all too well. She had never seen it on Allie, but she recognized it. She recognized it as the look Kim used to give her in the beginning, and the look that Annabelle soon mirrored back in her own eyes. She knew what that look meant: intrigue, a little bit of lust, but mostly want, a willingness to delve deeper and attempt to know the person underneath, intimately. Annabelle was concerned because the last thing she wanted for her friend was for her to fall, for the first time ever, just to be told that she couldn’t have what she wanted because it’s not right.   
Allie was stunned. Annabelle rarely ever talked to her like that, and she couldn’t help the look of pure evil that had involuntarily appeared on her own face. How dare she. Allie knew that she had never been the settling down type, opting to bounce between women to avoid any sort of emotional connection to another. Much like Franky. Franky and Allie had bonded many times over their love for ‘the game’ and their lack of maternal figures in their lives. This led to both of them being known as the Casanovas of the group. Regardless, Allie couldn’t help but feel insulted by her friend’s implication.  
“So you think the only reason I came to college is so that I can get laid?!” Allie exclaimed. Annabelle tried to speak, but was cut off immediately by Allie’s continuance. “No, fuck you! While you and Chang were playing happy families in Europe I was ‘boning’ my way through the female population right?”  
“Allie that’s not what I—“  
“No Anna, it is what you meant!” At this point they had stopped walking and were standing in the quad, a couple students milling about trying to avoid the conflict that was occurring between the two girls who had been friends for nearly ten years. “You know what, I get that you don’t want anything to screw up this experience for you because you prefer to run from your problems instead of facing them head on. But seriously, grow up. Kim left you and in lieu of actually confronting all the feelings you pushed to the back burner the last few months since we came back, you’ve just been burying them in Jack Daniels, Thai cigarettes, and music. So, before you go trying to tell me how to behave towards other women, maybe you need to take a good long look in the mirror and look at how you’re behaving towards yourself,” Allie ranted. She hadn’t expected to blow up on her friend like that, but it hurt her to think that her friend thought of her as nothing more than a Casanova.  
Instead of replying, Anna turned and headed towards the dorm, in lieu of going to the student center. It was almost 9:30 and she didn’t have another class until 11, so she was going to head back to Hampton Hall and try to clear her head before then. Luckily, Allie had class at 9:45 that would end at 11, so Annabelle wouldn’t risk running into her before they both had time to cool off. Annabelle and Allie had SNHU 101 and Photography class together, but Photography wasn’t until Wednesday. Annabelle pulled out her pack of Thai cigarettes, before removing one and lighting it up. Annabelle relished in the feeling of the nicotine pulsing its way through her veins, a miniscule wave of calmness washing over her. Finally reaching the suite, Annabelle unlocked the door before entering. It seemed everyone had gone for the time being, except for Collins who was sitting cross-legged on the couch with her laptop and a cup of coffee.  
The ivory-skinned raven-haired girl looked up as she heard the door click shut, her chocolate brown eyes locking with Annabelle’s pools of aqua, that were full of unshed tears. Collins opened her mouth to say something, but was cut off by a barely audible, “hey Collins,” as Annabelle put her head down and walked to her room, closing the door.  
Collins and Annabelle didn’t know each other very well, the auburn-haired girl often out with Allie. The shy brunette didn’t have many friends, having opted to focus mainly on studying over the years. She knew Catherine, or ‘Cat,” their suite mate, but the two were far from friends. They had gone to high school together, and Cat took great pleasure in harassing Collins over things such as her clothes, her interest in studying, and especially the fact that she dealt heavily with anxiety and depression. Their had been many occasions where the mean girl had told her that she should just kill herself already, and asked what she was waiting for. Collins couldn’t believe that they had gotten stuck together as suite mates, but figured the school tried to keep students from mutual high schools together. Collins knew all too well what it was like to be upset and have nobody to talk to, whether they understand or not, just to be there. Therefore, after a few minutes, Collins got up from the couch and made her way toward Annabelle’s room, knocking lightly on the door.  
“Annabelle? Are you okay?” she asked. She heard sniffling from the other side of the door, but no verbal response. Although she didn’t want to overstep, she opened the door anyways. Inside was Annabelle with the fans on, sitting in the open window, smoking a cigarette and listening to music with her headphones on. Seeing movement from the corner of her eye, she turned to see Collins enter the room and quickly shut the door so nobody would smell the smoke and get them in trouble, and removed her headphones. “Sorry, I knocked,” Collins said, gesturing towards the closed door, “I just wanted to check and make sure you were okay.”  
Annabelle smiled warmly, sniffling lightly and wiping her eyes a little, before taking one final drag of her cigarette and stubbing it out. “You’re not gonna rat me out are you?” she asked, as Collins moved further into the room and sat on the floor facing Annabelle with her back against the bed.  
“No,” Collins replied, “what you choose to do is fine by me. Not to mention, I couldn’t even tell from the other side of the door that you were smoking, so just don’t get caught and get me in trouble too and I really don’t mind,” Collins stated with a smile. Annabelle chuckled lightly before closing the window and sitting with her back against the wall, opposite Collins.  
“I appreciate that,” Annabelle said with a sad smile.   
“Do you wanna talk about it?” Collins asked quietly after a couple minutes of silence. Annabelle sighed, and began to unload how she was feeling to the brown-eyed girl.  
“Allie and I just had a bit of an argument is all,” Annabelle said looking down. She inhaled a shaky breath before continuing, absentmindedly fiddling with the beads around her neck. “Allie is interested in someone, and I’m happy for her, I really am. But…” she trailed off, trying to find the right words to explain the situation without giving too much away.  
“But…” Collins repeated, raising an eyebrow. “Do you have feelings for her maybe?” she asked.  
“God no!” Annabelle exclaimed quickly, then realizing how that must have sounded. “I mean, no. Allie is great, she’s beautiful, hilarious, fun, and sometimes she’s smart,” she continued with a slight giggle. “But, this person she’s interested in, I know that the chances of it happening for them are slim to none, especially because it’s not someone she’s supposed to be with, if that makes sense,” she rambled. She didn’t want to be too obvious and have Collins know that it was a teacher that Allie was interested in.   
“It makes perfect sense, but I still don’t understand why you two were arguing,” Collins replied, confused.  
“I’m getting to that,” Annabelle said. She took a deep breath before continuing, “She’s walking a very thin line. She’s being careless in a way that could result in both of them landing in a ton of shit, if it were to ever happen. We both have political parents, and they wouldn’t be very happy if things somehow went south and all the shit hit the fan.”  
“Okay, but that can’t be all that’s bothering you,” Collins stated, looking knowingly at Annabelle, who she could tell was trying very hard to hold her emotions back. Once again, Annabelle inhaled shakily, but this time she allowed a couple tears to fall from her pools of aqua.  
“I saw the look she gave her,” Annabelle began. Looking down at the red beads, now in her hands, she ran her fingers softly through them. She was quiet for another minute before she sniffled, looked up and continued, “I was in love once. We spent two amazing years together, until she told me that she couldn’t hold me back anymore. She wanted me to come back here to get my degree, while she stayed back in Europe to look after her parents.” Annabelle paused briefly trying to make sure she didn’t resort to a full emotional breakdown. Once she got her feelings back under control she continued again, “I’ve never seen Allie have that look before. But, it’s the look that Kim used to give me in the beginning.” She raised her aqua eyes to meet concerned chocolate brown orbs, finally allowing her tears to fall fully. “It was the look that I fell in love with, because it said to me, ‘you matter, you’re worth it, and all I want is to show you.’ And that’s all I want for Allie, but I don’t want her to get her hopes up and have the thing she loves taken away from her.”  
Annabelle put her head between her knees as the sobs ripped through her. Collins crawled from her position opposite Annabelle to right next to her, as she wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her in closer as she cried. She cried for herself and Allie for having such judgmental parents, cried for herself and Kim, and for the thought of her best friend feeling the way she had for the last few months since leaving Kim in Ireland. Annabelle leaned her head into Collins’s shoulder as her emotions continued to overtake her. She barely knew the quiet girl, but yet here she was comforting her in her distress, not judging her for it. After a couple minutes, Annabelle removed her head from Collins’s shoulder as she wiped her eyes and took a deep breath, ready to continue the conversation after crying it out.  
“Sorry,” Annabelle said sheepishly, “I didn’t mean to have, like, a mental breakdown,” she said with a soft chuckle while looking towards her suite mate.  
“Don’t be,” Collins said, resting her hand on Annabelle’s arm. “Look, I know we don’t know each other that well, but I’m always here if you need someone to talk to. I know how it is to feel like you’re alone,” she said with a sympathetic smile. “As for your friend,” she continued, “voice your concerns to her, but tell her that you only want the best for her. I know that you do, and I know that you will support her no matter what she decides.”  
“Thanks Collins,” Annabelle said with a smile, before hugging her new friend. She picked up her phone to text Allie, and realized that it was fifteen minutes until her next class. “SHIT!” she exclaimed, jumping up from the floor, going to her backpack to make sure she had everything before frantically trying to put her shoes on.  
“Whoa where’s the fire?” Collins asked with a chuckle, standing up.  
“I have class at 11 and it’s,” she looked at her phone for the time, “10:49,” she said, turning her attention back to her shoes. Collins realized she also had class in eleven minutes.  
“Oh shit I have class too,” Collins said, pulling up her schedule on her phone. “It’s in Robert Frost though so at least I don’t have far to walk, what about you?” She asked.  
Annabelle picked up her paper schedule off her bed before scanning the list of her classes, “me too, room 201,” she said, looking up at Collins.  
“English 100? Same here!” Collins exclaimed. “Just let me grab my laptop and we can go,” she said, exiting the room to grab her laptop and slip on her shoes. Once they were both situated, they made their way to Robert Frost hall, arriving in record time at 10:57. Relieved that the teacher wasn’t at the front of the class when they arrived, huffing and puffing after running to class, the two girls took a seat at an open table three rows back.  
“I have everything she’s ever written,” Collins whispered to Annabelle as they both unloaded their laptops and notebooks for class.  
“Everything who has ever written?” Annabelle questioned. Annabelle had her class list and where they were located, but she didn’t have the name of her professors for whatever reason. As if on cue, a curly haired blonde walked into the room, settling herself in front of the desktop computer at the podium in front of the class. Annabelle’s eyes followed her all the way from the door to the podium, grinning at the fact that the very sexy Simone Bradley was her English teacher, and that she would be able to see her for an hour and fifteen minutes two days a week.  
“Her,” Collins replied knowingly. She had watched her friend’s gaze follow the young professor as she made her way across the room.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So, I've been thinking about it and I think I want to change the structure of this story moving forward. I know I've been splitting chapters between story lines, and I feel it's more practical to do full chapters as opposed to splitting. Anyhow, here is chapter six. Allie confides in Franky, and the two girls bond in a way they never thought they would.

Hey Sexy Lady

Allie was fuming. Not only was she pissed off about the conversation she had just shared with her best friend, but now she was also running behind schedule, so she didn’t have time to stop for a coffee before her next class. Allie was not a morning person, and she cursed the heavens for SNHU’s policy of the school generating schedules for freshmen. If she had been in control of her own class schedule, she wouldn’t have class until at least eleven.  
As Allie sat in her economics class with absolutely no interest for the topic being discussed, her mind wandered back to her conversation with Annabelle. She understood where her friend was coming from, and she was right in a way. But, the blonde was blindsided by the anger behind the auburn haired girl’s words. Allie knew she liked to have fun, especially with the ladies. But it hurt to think that her own best friend of almost ten years thought of her as nothing but a womanizer who cannot control her own libido. After spacing out for awhile and realizing that there were only fifteen minutes left of her class, Allie decided that she would text the one person she knew could help her blow off some steam.

Hey butt munch, what are you doing?

Just got to my shift in The Quill, why what’s up?

Franky had a minor in culinary arts that she obtained before the girls all shipped off to Thailand. She was quite talented in her abilities, and had a few shifts a week working as the manager at the on-campus restaurant: The Quill. The Quill is a small student-run restaurant, where hospitality students and culinary students work as wait staff, and culinary classes cook for the restaurant as part of their labs. Although Franky was not a culinary major, the head chefs of the program were impressed with her cooking abilities, as well as her people skills. When she came back to campus, they offered her a job working as manager, or even bartender, whenever she fancied.

What are you doing after? Anna and me had a fight so I’m tryna do something. 

I’m MOD today, so I’ll be here a few hours. I’m down though, come through and hang out if you want.

Let’s get it.

As Allie sent her text through, she saw that there were only five minutes left of class. She began to pack up her belongings, as her economics teacher bid the class farewell. Exiting Robert Frost Hall, Allie made her way over to the Hospitality Center. Entering the building, she noticed the show plates set up on a counter to her right. The culinary students at this school really were very talented. Walking into the restaurant, she spotted students dressed in all black milling about, setting tables, buffing silverware, and setting up bread baskets.  
Upon her entry, Allie saw Franky dressed in black pants and a fitted white button up shirt, directing two other students lifting tables where to place them so they could create room for a large party. Allie couldn’t help but smile. Franky had always been a great friend, always hilarious and the life of the party, but she was actually very smart, driven, and efficient. Although much of their friendship had been spent in fits of inebriation, hilarity, and the love for the game, Allie and Franky had actually grown quite close throughout their travels. Sure, they usually ended up being the ones to party together when Kim and Anna were too busy playing house together, but many of those drunken nights had resulted in them learning new things about one another. Franky felt she was being watched, and looked up to see Allie leaning against the bar grinning at her.  
“Oi Novak!” Franky said with a nod as she made her way towards the blonde, “Don’t get me wrong, I love watching you stand there looking pretty, but you think you can lend a hand?” Franky asked teasingly.  
“Depends,” Allie began cryptically, “you gonna pay me?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.  
“I’ve actually got a surprise for you,” Franky said, mirroring Allie’s cryptic tone, as her green eyes met blue. Franky leaned in a little closer, to quietly speak to Allie so nobody else could hear. “Come fold these stupid napkins all fancy and help buff the rest of this silverware, and I’ll come up with an excuse to dip out after service finishes, without doing side work.”  
Allie pulled away from Franky, giving her a wink before making her way to the other end of the bar to fold the napkins in the correct way, as well as finish buffing the rest of the silverware. Franky continued bossing the younger students around the restaurant, Allie internally laughing at how authoritative she was being. As the few parties with reservations for lunch piled in and out of the small restaurant, Allie couldn’t help but be impressed. Most of these students had never waited tables a day in their lives, but did well all things considering. Allie sat patiently at the bar, scrolling through her phone as she waited for Franky to be finished. After cashing out the final drawer, she tagged in Marissa, the bartender as well as another manager of the restaurant, saying she needed to go take care of something. Grabbing her belongings, she looked at Allie before nodding towards the door, signaling that she was ready to go.

Upon arriving at Franky’s dorm, Allie sat down on the vacant bed as Franky began to dig through her belongings. Originally, Kim Chang was supposed to come back to SNHU and be Franky’s roommate, but her impromptu decision to take a hiatus left Franky in a full sized room all to herself.  
“So where’s my present?” Allie questioned, quirking an eyebrow at the tattooed brunette.  
“Who said I had a present for you?” Franky asked, smirking at Allie’s reflection through the mirror, before continuing to rummage through her junk drawer. It was amazing, they had only been on campus three days and Franky already had a junk drawer. Finally feeling the envelope stuffed at the back, she pulled it out before turning around. Franky leaned against the dresser facing Allie, the envelope sitting behind her.  
“Two things,” Allie said, raising her hand to count on her fingers, “one, a surprise usually results in a gift of sorts,” Allie said with a smirk. “Second,” she continued, getting up from the bed and walking slowly towards Franky. She briefly invaded her personal space, managing to grasp the envelope on the dresser behind her, before pulling back and holding it up, “I can see your whole reflection in that mirror from the bed,” Allie concluded with a giggle, swatting Franky with the envelope before handing it back. “So what is it?” Allie asked.  
“Why don’t you open it and see for yourself?” Franky asked, handing the envelope back to the blonde. Both girls retreated back towards Franky’s bed and sat down, before Allie began to open the envelope. Upon ripping the paper open, two cards fell into Allie’s lap. Picking them up, Allie realized that they were fake IDs, one for her and one for Annabelle.  
Allie looked at Franky in disbelief. “How did you even get these?” Allie asked, picking up her own fake ID. It had her picture and all her credentials on it, except her birthday year was one year earlier. It was quite impressive she had to admit she wouldn’t even blink at it if she were to be presented with such an impressive creation.  
“I’ve got a guy,” Franky said with a smirk. She had intended to give the girls their fake IDs when they arrived, but was unable to find them so figured she must have left them back in Greenwich. “Now, it’s only about 3:00 and going to a bar is sort of out of the question for a few more hours. So, how about we hit the shops, pregame a bit, then hit the town?”  
“Sounds perfect, let’s get it!” Allie exclaimed, getting up from the bed. Franky grabbed her wallet and keys, and the two girls set off. Instead of going to the mall in Manchester, Franky suggested going to the outlets in Merrimack, about a twenty minute drive outside of Manchester, knowing they had plenty of time.  
Both girls meandered through the shops, purchasing various items, before heading back to campus. By the time they got back it was about 7 p.m., so they decided to get ready before taking a shot or two and a short smoke ride and heading to the bar. Franky headed for the shower while Allie got dressed. It was still fairly warm, so she decided to wear a black strapless crop top with a pair of light wash ripped jeans, paired with her black and white converse sneakers.  
Franky entered the room in a white tank top with a towel wrapped around her waist as Allie was doing her makeup in the mirror on the other side of the room. Franky opted to wear a black pair of ripped skinny jeans and a loose black tank top with an exposed back. Knowing that tonight would be a good party night that she wanted to look good for, the tattooed brunette opted to pair her outfit with her Air Jordan Concord 11’s. Franky wasn’t much for flashy designer clothes, but she was quite a sneaker connoisseur. She had obtained quite the collection over the years, and the priceless collection of limited edition basketball shoes had become one of Franky’s many passions.  
“Oi Doyle!” Allie shouted, watching Franky’s reflection in the mirror as she inspected her sneakers for any scuffs or scrapes on the patent leather. “Stop drooling over your babies, it’s shots o’clock!” Allie said excitedly, turning her back to the mirror upon finishing her makeup. Franky rolled her eyes before going to her closet and pulling out a brand new bottle of Tito’s vodka, and two shot glasses. Franky put the two glasses on the dresser, before tapping the lid of the bottle twice. It was a superstition that the girls shared, whoever is planning on drinking the bottle before it is opened has to tap the lid for good luck. After tapping the lid twice, Franky held the bottle out to Allie as she walked closer, tapping the lid as well, before Franky poured them each a shot.  
“Chaser?” Franky asked, as she moved towards the mini fridge next to her bed, grabbing two small bottles of Gatorade.  
“Please,” Allie replied. She thanked Franky as she handed the sports drink to her. Allie had found that her hangovers weren’t as bad if she used sports drinks as a chaser. The two young girls clinked their classes together before downing the shots, chasing them with Gatorade, and repeating the same ritual two more times.  
Three shots later, the two girls left the dorm and got into Franky’s Honda Pilot. Allie connected her phone to the auxiliary cord, opting to listen to Money Bag by Cardi B, as both girls rolled their windows down to have a Newport cigarette. Franky drove around the neighborhoods of Hooksett, the town next to Manchester, as they smoked their cigarettes as well as a joint Franky had rolled earlier in the day. Upon finishing the joint, Franky asked Allie if she wanted to split an Adderall with her.  
“I don’t want the whole thing, but at the same time I don’t want to do it by myself,” Franky explained.  
“What the hell,” Allie said, taking the other half of the orange pill. Not long later, the girls pulled up on Elm Street. It was only 9:00 and wouldn’t get busy for another half hour or so. Franky secured a parking spot close to their destination, before leading Allie to McGarveys. McGarveys was a bar that was very popular with the college students in the area, and was known for being very busy, as well as their karaoke.  
Walking up to the front, they were met by a burly man standing by the door, an area to his left with tables and chairs secured within the bar’s boundaries. It was Monday night and just past nine, so the bar wasn’t too busy yet. Walking up to the entrance, Franky smiled before launching herself toward the bouncer for a high-five.  
“Will!” Franky exclaimed as they both smiled, following Franky’s enthusiastic high-five. “It’s good to see you mate!” she said, as their hands met and she pulled the large man in for a hug. He had been present on the many nights Franky had frequented this very bar with her fake ID, always none the wiser, making sure she made it out safe, whether it was by herself or with one of the many women she had managed to seduce.  
“Likewise, Francesca,” he said with a grin and a small nod, chuckling as Franky slapped his arm for using her government name. After checking Allie’s ID and giving her the all clear, he allowed the two girls into the bar. Franky led Allie toward the far end of the bar, closest to the dance floor, and stood waiting for a bartender. When the bartender approached and asked what they were drinking, Allie was about to speak before Franky interjected.  
“Let me,” she said to Allie before looking towards the bartender, “We’ll take two red deaths please, and I’ll open a tab,” Franky said, handing her credit card to the bartender, as she disappeared to file the card and begin making the drinks.  
“You don’t have to pay for my drinks you know,” Allie said as they waited to be served.  
“I know,” Franky said, “but tonight you need a friend, so I’m treating you. Besides,” Franky said, trailing off as their drinks were set down on the bar beside them, “this drink is delicious,” she concluded. Both girls lifted their glasses, clinked them together, and took a healthy sip.  
“Oh my god, that’s dank!” Allie exclaimed, finishing the rest of her drink in three large sips as Franky laughed and ordered her another one. “It tastes like fruit punch!”  
“I know,” Franky said cryptically. “The girls love this drink, but just be careful. They sneak up on you, and I’d hate for you to become ‘one of the girls,’” the tattooed brunette elaborated with a wink, before taking another sip from her drink. Once Allie’s second drink was brought to them, Franky led Allie outside to the closed off area of tables, before lighting each of them a cigarette. They weren’t regular smokers, just when they drank. Although that was quite often, they never found themselves smoking when they were sober. As Franky handed Allie her lit cigarette, she spoke again.  
“So are you gonna tell me what went down with you and Anna?” she asked, blowing out a puff of smoke. She knew Allie was ready to party tonight, but couldn’t help but notice that she was on edge. Allie and Anna rarely ever fought, but when they did it really messed with both of them. Allie took a long drag off her cigarette, flicking it in the ashtray before she began.  
“It’s nothing really,” she began, Franky fixing her with a look that told her she saw right through what she was saying. Sighing, Allie collected her thoughts before she continued. “Basically, I think one of our teachers looks like a snack. And you know me, I’m not exactly known for my subtlety,” Allie said, her and Franky both chuckling in affirmation to what she just said. “Anyways, I may have been a little too obvious when I indicated my interest. She blew up at me, saying how our parents would be pissed if they ‘thought we only went to school to bone our teachers’” Allie said, gesturing air quotes. “I don’t know, I guess it just bugged me that such an innocent act created such an issue for her, and she just thinks I’m some sort of Casanova who can’t control her libido,” Allie said, taking a sip of her drink. The two girls puffed on their cigarettes for a few moments before Franky spoke again.  
“Well, we both know that we’re the resident Casanovas as far as this friendship,” Franky said, grinning at the blonde across from her, which elicited a chuckle from the younger woman. “But for real though,” Franky said seriously, leaning forward in her chair, “I don’t want you to take this the wrong way, but the most innocent of situations like that could land you, as well as your teacher, in a whole world of shit. I know you’re a big girl, so does Anna, and I know you’ll make your own decisions. Just be careful, okay?”  
“Yeah I guess you’re right,” Allie said flatly. Franky could tell that there was something else bothering her friend, and decided it was better to get it out of her now, rather than two hours from now when Allie was multiple drinks deep.  
“Alright, spit it out Novak,” Franky said, extinguishing her cigarette before sitting back in her chair, arms crossed. Allie looked at the ground briefly, before extinguishing the remains of her cigarette, as well as her second red death of the night before she spoke.  
“I don’t know, I guess I just feel insulted that she feels she has the place to talk about me and the women I surround myself with, meanwhile she’s been numbing her pain with her guitar and copious amounts of Jack. Don’t get me wrong, I love Anna like she was my sister and I would never bash on how she chooses to live because I do the same,” Allie trailed off.  
“But?” Franky asked after a moment of silence.  
“But I feel like she has no room to pass judgment on my interactions with other women, when she still hasn’t fully dealt with her own,” Allie concluded, sitting back in her chair and crossing her arms.  
“You know what I think?” Franky asked, continuing when Allie quirked an eyebrow of intrigue, “I think that she’s worried about you wanting what you can’t have. Anna loves you so much Allie,” Franky stressed, green pools meeting blue in a way that allowed Allie to know Franky was serious. “She strayed from the Casanova lifestyle that we all used to live together, and it bit her in the ass. I think she’s just afraid that the same thing may happen to you,” Franky concluded. The two were quiet for a moment before Allie spoke again.  
“Maybe you’re right,” Allie said, relishing in the words Franky had just spoken. “Alright, I’m ready for another drink!” Allie exclaimed, standing up, as Franky followed suit.

Franky and Allie were probably at least eight red deaths deep between the both of them, and it was really kicking in with the Adderall. Both girls were dancing next to the counter separating the tables in the bar from the dance floor, drinks in hand. Once the song ended, the DJ’s voice bellowed out from the speakers.  
“Alright everyone it’s karaoke time, can I get Franky and Allie up here please, Franky and Allie!”  
Both girls downed their drinks before taking their places on the dance floor near the DJ, microphones in hand. Franky had been skeptical when Allie suggested they sing this song, but agreed when Allie promised she would take the verses as long as Franky took the chorus. A giggling mess, the girls began to dance as the intro music played, and they began to sing.

Hey sexy lady, I like your flow  
Your body's bangin', out of control (uh)  
You put it on me (that's right) ceiling to floor  
Only you can make me, scream and beg for more

Her body's callin' bawlin' got me crawlin' up the wall and  
My size ain't small it's tall and catch here comes her clothes be fallin'  
Her neighbor's callin bawlin' all this noise is so appallin'  
They must believe we're brawlin' headboards band till early mornin'

Franky was amazed. She knew Allie had a knack for learning songs quickly, but she never thought she would actually be able to decipher what Shaggy was saying in his verse. Turning to face allie, she grabbed one of her hands, draping her arm over her shoulder, beginning to dance in a closer proximity as she entered the second chorus.

Hey sexy lady (uh) I like your flow  
Your body's bangin' (yo) out of control (a big tune)  
You put it on me (uh) ceiling to floor girl (ceiling to floor baby)  
Only you can make me (uh) screamin' back for more

As Franky concluded the second chorus, Allie turned around so her back was facing Franky’s front, and ground against her, throwing her head back against Franky’s shoulder.

I was her father's choosin', performance left her snoozin'  
Rug burns her knees we're bruised and, she's hooked ain't no refusin'  
I knew it all along (uh) she was the perfect one (what)  
She really put it on (on me) I had to write a song

Franky reciprocated Allie’s dirty dancing, while internally admitting to herself that it was incredibly sexy watching Allie kill Shaggy’s verses.

Hey sexy lady (she's drivin' me nuts) I like your flow (uh uh)  
Your body's bangin' (sexy lady) out of control (sweet and nice)  
You put it on me (you know you got that figure) ceiling to floor  
Only you can make me (wow) screamin' back for more

Allie turned around to face Franky, their hips gyrating in tandem against one another’s as they continued to dirty dance to the song. The two had grinded on one another many times before, but this time was sending a shockwave of warmth between both.

Hey sexy lady you be fine drive me crazy movin' on, and on, and on  
Hey sexy lady you be fine drive me crazy movin' on, and on, and on  
Gal your extra sexy like (whoa) and you make me want to say (hi)  
And you shake you shake your thong (low)  
Gal you wicked to ras it nah (lie)  
Gal I like the way how you (flow) every time you pass me (by)  
Gal you wiggly jiggly and (oh) and you wicked to ras it nah (lie)  
Hey sexy lady (uh) I like your flow (what up)  
Your body's bangin', out of control (see what I'm talkin' girl)  
You put it on me (put it on me baby) ceiling to floor (uh)  
Only you can make me (only you) screamin' back for more

The song ended as both girls handed the microphones back to the DJ, before making their way back over to the bar to order more drinks. Having already drowned their sorrows in red deaths, the girls opted for Jaeger bombs. Franky unexpectedly ordered two for both of them. After tossing both back expertly, the two girls retired outside to smoke another cigarette before returning inside.  
Upon reentering the bar, both girls recognized the dance hall song that was playing. They couldn’t help but laugh, remembering all the parties they threw at the senator’s mansion, and the immediate swarm of girls finding their way to the front of the flock as they hip rolled to the song.  
“LET’S FUCKING GET IT!” both girls exclaimed, as they joined hands and made their way through the flock of bodies to get to the front. Once they reached the dance floor, both girls began to hip roll before Allie once again pressed her back to Franky’s front as the next line of the song rang throughout the speakers.

Shorty you already know I love it when you wine slow.

As one song faded into another, both women felt the alcohol take hold. Once Selena Gomez’s ‘Good For You’ began to play, the two young women found themselves face to face, grinding into one another while looking intensely into each other’s eyes.

Let me show you how proud I am to be yours  
Leave this dress a mess on the floor  
Still look good for you

As the intensity of the song began to pick up, Allie turned her back to Franky once more, while grinding on the brunette’s right thigh. Franky wrapped her left arm around Allie’s waist, holding her in place as they both continued grinding to the music, Franky whispering the lyrics in Allie’s ear as she felt the intensity between them build higher and higher following A$AP Rocky’s verse.

I just wanna look good for ya  
Good for ya  
Oh oh  
Baby let me good to ya  
Good to ya  
Oh oh

Franky allowed her lips to lightly trace the contours of Allie’s ear as she quietly sang along with the lyrics, knowing exactly what it was doing to the younger woman. What she didn’t expect was for Allie to turn around in her grasp, giving her a quick but dirty kiss on the mouth as she continued with the lyrics, picking up where they left off following said kiss.

Leave this dress a mess on the floor  
Still look good for ya

Before Allie could finish the end of the song, Franky pulled her in for another dirty kiss before she spoke again. Pulling Allie from the dance floor, allowing her lips to once again ghost over the contours of Allie’s ear, she put her car keys in Allie’s hand before she spoke.  
“I’m gonna close the tab, go start the car.”  
Allie quirked an eyebrow before taking off towards the front of the bar, shooting Franky a sultry wink along the way. It was crazy that Allie and Franky had never hooked up before. A few drunken kisses had been shared here and there over the years, but nothing like what they had just indulged themselves in. Allie started the car and waited a few moments before Franky entered the driver’s side, giving Allie a slight smirk before lighting each of them a cigarette and heading towards campus.  
Allie was not looking forward to going back to her suite. She knew that Annabelle would probably be waiting up and wanting to talk about things, but Allie was way too far gone to deal with that. As they neared campus, Allie noticed Franky was pulling into the parking lot for Monadnock Hall, as opposed to dropping her off. She looked at the brunette questioningly, as the brunette returned the look of question with a smirk.  
“Come on, you popped an addy, I know you’re not done turning up yet,” Franky said, grinning widely, dimples popping. Allie’s blue eyes met glazed over greens as she smiled in affirmation and followed Franky exiting the vehicle.  
Four shots of Tito’s later and a few rips off of Franky’s hash oil pen finally found the two girls at a medium in which they felt comfortable discussing what had happened earlier that day.  
“So how long you planning on staying mad at Anna?” Franky asked, exhaling a large cloud of THC before handing the vape to Allie. The two girls were sitting on the floor, facing each other with their backs against either bed. Allie took a healthy rip, before blowing the large cloud back in Franky’s face and deciding to speak.  
“I’m not mad at her. Even if I was, I could never stay mad at her.” Allie set her empty shot glass on the floor next to her, and Franky refilled both of theirs as if on cue.  
“Cheers to loving my stupid ass cousin,” Franky said, clinking their glasses together, as both girls swallowed the strong liquid. As Allie went to put down her empty shot glass, Franky took it from her grasp, moving to sit next to her before filling the shot glass for herself and handing Allie the bottle. The two girls had been friends long enough for Franky to know when the blonde required the bottle, not just a couple sips. Clinking her shot glass against the bottle, she downed her shot as Allie took a hefty shot.  
“You know, she never meant to hurt you,” Franky said, green eyes meeting blue in a compassionate understanding. Franky knew her cousin, and knew that she would lash out in times of worry. Chances are, she was probably more worried about protecting Allie than she was herself or this teacher Allie spoke of. She knew that herself and Allie were the closest family she ever had, and any time either of the young women were sad, it was Anna that was there to pick up the pieces, to offer words of wisdom, and to dry the tears while whispering that everything would be okay.  
“I know,” Allie sighed, taking another swig of Tito’s before putting the cap back on and standing up. “I’m tryna blow a square, you coming?”  
“Yeah,” Franky chuckled as she rose to her feet, “I will come to smoke a cigarette with you,” she teased, having always resorted to confusion when her blonde friend uttered such a phrase.  
The two girls made their way outside, giggling as they sat on the stoop outside the dorm. As Allie retrieved her own pack of Newports from her purse, she noticed Franky holding a lit cigarette out to her as she smoked her own. Smiling in thanks, Allie began to smoke her own cigarette. It was about 2 a.m., and reaching the time where Allie would usually get the munchies before falling asleep. However, tonight she was only down for partying. She didn’t have any classes tomorrow, so she was trying to avoid going back to the suite for as long as possible. Allie was drunk as shit and feeling lovely, and the last thing she wanted was for another argument with Anna to come to a head while she was still drunk. Allie was a very easy person to engage with, always so outgoing and inviting. However, if she felt like she was being backed into a corner, she would lash out, which had been the case regarding the little altercation between her and Anna earlier. Deciding that she should bite the bullet rather than later, Allie spoke as they approached the brunette’s dorm.  
“Well I guess I should probably get going, it’s late and I’m sure you wanna get to sleep,” Allie said, shuffling her feet. Franky just scoffed before unlocking the door and pulling the blonde inside.  
Franky had intended nothing more than to offer the blonde the free bunk in her room for the night, but all intentions went out the door as soon as she saw Allie’s back against the door as she closed it. The distance between the two Casanovas began to shrink, as the two women mutually joined their lips. As lips and tongues began to explore one another, as if for the first time, Franky lifted the blonde’s body so her legs wrapped around Franky’s midsection, as she continued her assault on Allie’s lips. The two young women’s lips parted from one another. Both flushed from the passion experienced just seconds before, Franky slammed Allie’s back against the door. As Allie released a light moan, Franky’s lips ghosted once more over Allie’s ear in a way that drove her crazy.  
“Tell me what you want me to do,” Franky said seductively, green eyes once again meeting blue as Allie put her hand behind the tattooed brunette’s neck, indulging her in one of the dirtiest kisses she had ever witnessed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics from Hey Sexy Lady by Shaggy, Party by Arez Flow, and Good For You by Selena Gomez


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We had our Franky and Allie chapter, so here's a Collins and Annabelle chapter. I know I'm killing you all with the suspense, but it will be worth it I promise! Don't worry, our girls Simone and Bea are still lurking in the background, just not their turn yet. Keep in mind, the stage is pretty much set, it's just getting there. The next few chapters will be more interesting I promise. Enjoy!

Drown

 

Annabelle and Collins got back to their suite around 12:30. Upon their arrival, the two young girls opted to order Chinese food for lunch since they had no more classes that day. Annabelle had texted Franky to make plans, but hadn’t heard back, so she figured she must be with Allie. Annabelle didn’t blame Allie for being pissed at her, because she probably would be too if the tables were turned. She decided she would give Allie her space, and also get to know their raven-haired suite mate better. Once the food had been delivered and eaten, the two girls sat back in Allie and Annabelle’s room. Collins was watching something on Hulu while Annabelle quietly strummed her guitar and flipped through various notebooks.  
Annabelle had been awestruck to find out that Simone was going to be her teacher for English 100. On one hand she was excited, she got to be in her presence for an hour and fifteen minutes twice a week and just listen to her talk about her passion for the written word. On the other hand, she didn’t want to fall into the same type of situation she scolded Allie for, just mere hours prior. Annabelle listened intently as Simone began to skim the surface of what would be learned throughout the semester, and was amazed by how poised and well spoken the sophisticated young professor was. At the end of the class, Simone mentioned that extra credit could be obtained by performing works written for class at open mic night, which was held every Wednesday in the pub on campus. She explained that many of the assignments would be poetry, and that performing was completely voluntary, and she therefore couldn’t wait to see some of them perform.  
Annabelle had asked Collins if she thought she could get extra credit by performing her poems written for class as songs. Annabelle had a knack for finding word combinations and rhythms that weaved together beautifully, not that Collins would know this. The shy girl replied that she was unsure, and that Annabelle should ask Professor Bradley. Collins wasn’t stupid, she noticed the way her new friend’s eyes followed their professor around the classroom with intrigue, as well as the way she froze up when Collins recommended physically asking their teacher the question. Annabelle agreed to email their professor and ask her that way. She was still awaiting a response, but decided to fiddle with her guitar regardless.  
“Will you play me something?” Collins asked, pausing the TV and turning in the swivel chair to face Annabelle sitting on the bed.  
“What do you want to hear?” Annabelle asked as she twisted one of the frets while slightly strumming one of the strings.  
“Something of yours,” Collins replied. Annabelle smiled at her friend’s interest in her music. Having just became actual friends just mere hours prior, Collins didn’t know much about Annabelle’s musical background. She knew she played guitar and wrote, but didn’t know yet that her friend could play a ridiculous amount of instruments. Annabelle flipped through the book, opening to a page with a song she knew almost by heart. It was a very raw and personal song that she had written during the first few weeks after Kim left her. She was coming down from a weeklong binge of alcohol, pot, and Adderall and wrote the song to channel out her anger about the whole situation. Taking a deep breath, Annabelle let her eyes briefly meet Collins’s gaze as she began to strum the opening lines.

 

Well I'm so tired of the rain  
Falling softly on the ground  
Just enough to get my feet wet  
But not enough to let me drown

I've been laying in my bed  
Wishing I had never woken  
Begging God to rid my head  
Of every word you've ever spoken

Broke my knuckles on the wall  
Because I thought about the call  
Where you said you'd always love me  
Do you not tell the truth at all?

Well if I ever cross your mind  
Make sure you write down the times  
So I will know the moments  
I was eating you alive

And now I lay here  
Waiting with the hope that  
I might find some sleep  
I need some sleep tonight  
'cause I've been waiting on your call  
But I know it will never come  
But I'm still waiting by the phone

And don't you dare (don't you dare)  
Say you ever loved me  
Or even tell me that you cared  
'cause you knew what you were doing  
And you know just what you've done  
How dare you say you miss me  
With your spit still on her tongue

I am broken I am beaten  
I'm mistreated and I'm torn  
I am cold with no direction  
But I'm lost without your warmth  
I'm trying hard to find some hope  
That I might get the chance to breathe  
Get off my mind, give back my heart  
And get the fuck away from me

I know I couldn't give you much  
But I know I gave my best  
You were always my princess  
And now she's sliding up your dress

And I know I gave the world  
Everything I've ever had  
Johnny Cash said love would burn  
I never thought it'd hurt this bad

Well I'm so tired of the rain  
Falling softly on the ground  
Just enough to get my feet wet  
But not enough to let me drown

I've been laying in my bed  
Wishing I had never woken  
Begging God to rid my head  
Of every word you've ever spoken

Broke my knuckles on the wall  
Because I thought about the call  
Where you said you'd always love me  
Do you not tell the truth at all?

Well if I ever cross your mind  
Make sure you write down the times  
So I will know the moments  
I was eating you alive

You are the itch that's on my back  
You are the gum under my shoe  
You are the horrors of my past  
You are the chill that haunts the room  
You are the creaking on my steps  
You are cancer, you are plague  
You are regret, you are disease  
I wish that you would go away

Annabelle stared down at her open notebook for a moment and pondered the song she had just performed for the first person ever. She knew the lyrics suggested that Kim had cheated her or left her for someone else, which Annabelle knew she hadn’t, but she knew Kim well enough to know that she probably wasn’t back in Ireland saving herself for Annabelle. Kim had tried many times over the last couple of months to contact Annabelle, although the angry song may have suggested otherwise, but she never answered, and Kim therefore stopped as school began. Looking up, her eyes filled with tears of rage met Collins’s brown eyes, full of unshed tears of… sympathy?  
“Wow,” Collins uttered, sniffling and wiping her eyes, “That was… powerful.”  
Annabelle got up and went to fetch something from the closet. She sat back on the bed with a large bottle of Jack and two glasses in her hand. Pouring two, she offered one to Collins who tentatively accepted. Clinking the glasses together, Annabelle tossed the whole thing back before pouring herself another, Collins taking a small sip of her own before Annabelle finally spoke.  
“She didn’t cheat on me, and for the record I have certainly not been waiting by the phone,” Annabelle said, clicking a few times on her phone before turning the screen to her friend. Next to the contact name “Ex Bitch” there was a red illuminated number 36 next to it. Collins handed the phone back, a look of disbelief on her face. Annabelle tossed back the rest of her drink, prompting Collins to do the same, her friend speaking as she began to refill their drinks again.  
“You obviously still love her, you still wear her beads,” Collins began, nodding her head in thanks as Annabelle handed her glass back to her before she continued, “Why don’t you want to talk to her?”  
Anna sighed before putting her glass down as pools of aqua glazed over with unshed tears once again met concerned orbs of brown. “That’s the reason why I don’t want to talk to her,” Annabelle began, moving towards the window before opening it and turning on the fans, lighting another Thai cigarette that only furthered her memory of her ex-lover. Annabelle offered one to Collins who declined with a shake of her head. “Wait, how do you know they’re hers?” she asked curiously, her fingers absentmindedly finding the smooth beads. She hadn’t told Collins who the beads belonged to, and she hadn’t asked.  
“You always fiddle with them when you talk about her,” Collins replied matter-of-factly. Annabelle took another long drag of her cigarette before she began to speak again.  
“Holding onto her is like hugging a cactus, you know?” Annabelle asked. Collins looked at her confusedly as she waited for her to continue. “I need to let go, because it just hurts more the tighter I hold on,” she explained. “But,” she continued, extinguishing her cigarette after finishing it in a record time of two minutes, “tonight I will drown my sorrows one last time, and tomorrow I will face them head on!” Annabelle said valiantly, before picking up her glass.  
“I’ll definitely drink to that!” Collins exclaimed, both girls a giggling mess as they clinked their glasses together yet again.

A couple hours and half a bottle of Jack later, both girls were well on their way to being drunk. It was only about 6 p.m. due to their early start on happy hour. The two girls were a giggling mess as Annabelle indulged Collins in some of the stories about the shenanigans Annabelle would get into with the other girls during their trip abroad. Both girls regained their composure as Annabelle continued telling Collins about their encounter with movie theater security during a night where all four girls had decided to try some magic mushrooms they had obtained while in Dublin. The girls took the psychedelic drug before visiting a cinema in town that was showing The Sound Of Music.  
“So Allie is absolutely rocked, right? And her and Franky are talking loud as shit but think they’re whispering. Anyways, someone a few rows back starts yelling at them to shut up, and Allie turns around and yells, ‘HEY, I’M NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO’S TALKING, THAT BIG GUY UP THERE HAS BEEN TALKING THROUGH THE WHOLE MOVIE,’ and points towards the screen.” Both girls erupted into another fit of laughter, before taking another sip of their drinks. Collins held up her empty glass and shook it, indicating her need for a refill, speaking as Annabelle took her cup and filled it with more of the strong brown liquid.  
“Oh my god, what happened after that?”  
“Well,” Annabelle said, handing her glass back to her before swirling the liquid around in her own glass and taking a healthy gulp. “I think the guy who yelled at us decided it was a lost cause, all of us just kept laughing and laughing. Anyways, the scene where Rolf is singing to Liesl comes along and Allie and Franky both got rowdy again, Franky yelling about how she’s already seen this movie and they should talk about other movies they’ve seen,” Annabelle begins with an eye roll, remembering how obnoxious they all were that night. “At that point, Allie realized that the movie was about World War Two, and starts screaming about the holocaust,” Annabelle remembered with a laugh, “she starts yelling ‘DON’T LISTEN TO HIM, HE’S A NAZI! I KNOW JEWS ARE BAD BUT THEMS IS WORSE!’”  
“JESUS THAT’S SO FUCKED!” Collins exclaimed, relaxing a little when Annabelle explained that Allie wasn’t actually anti-Semitic but that it was funny to remember. She then continued to explain that Allie had walked up to the screen and yelled at Rolf to ‘let go of the lady’ before all of them were ordered to leave the cinema.  
“It sounds like you guys used to have a lot of fun,” Collins slurred. “I wish I had friends like that,” she said somberly, looking down into her glass of Jack. She’d had friends before, but not really any that she would ever see outside of school. Annabelle noticed the sudden change in her friend and allowed her own demeanor to become serious.  
“Well you know what?” she asked, urging the brunette to look at her before continuing, “You have me now, and we can do mushrooms and watch the sound of music any time you like,” she said with a grin, in a successful attempt to lighten the mood. Collins smiled at her before holding her glass up.  
“To new friends,” she said.  
“To new friends,” Annabelle repeated with a genuine smile before clinking the glasses together and taking another sip.  
Annabelle got the urge for another cigarette since she was well on her way to being faded, but recommended that her and Collins go outside to do so. She didn’t want to make too much of a habit of smoking in the dorm room and risk getting everyone in trouble, especially since now everybody was mostly back in their rooms. Each girl grabbed their phones and shoes, Annabelle grabbing her cigarettes and lighter as well, and made their way downstairs and to the front of the building. SNHU was a smoker friendly campus, meaning they could essentially smoke anywhere except for inside the buildings. Sitting down on the steps, Annabelle removed and lit a cigarette before offering the pack to Collins, who surprisingly decided to smoke one. Collins was no stranger to drinking or smoking, she just didn’t do so very often. It was more a social thing for her, and up until now, she hadn’t been much of a social butterfly. After lighting her own cigarette, she handed the pack and lighter back to Annabelle, noticing the Asian writing on the label, immediately realizing that they must have been from Thailand. Opting not to ask any more questions about her friend’s old lover, she decided to ask about her friend instead.  
“So what exactly is it with you and Allie?” she asked.  
“What do you mean?” Annabelle replied, blowing out a cloud of smoke before turning her attention to Collins while flicking her cigarette.  
“Well you’re incredibly close, and you’re fiercely protective over her despite the fact that you don’t have feelings for her. I guess my question is why?” Collins asked curiously.  
“She’s all I really have,” Annabelle began quietly. She continued to explain the history of their friendship, including when Franky became a bigger part of their lives. She also explained the nature of their relationships with their parents, as well as the political escapades that usually left Allie and Annabelle to fend for themselves while left at home. “They’re the only real family I’ve ever really had, and I don’t ever want to see either of them upset. I saw Allie cry maybe three times since we’ve been friends, and I never want to see her so distraught ever again…” Annabelle trailed off, throwing her finished cigarette on the ground before continuing. “Things haven’t always been easy for her or Franky, and I think that’s part of why they get on so well. Part of me feels guilty sometimes for being so stuck up Kim’s ass while we were traveling, and I think the reason our fight upset me so much is because she confirmed my suspicion: that I abandoned her in some ways. And for that, I feel especially guilty,” Annabelle said, looking down at her feet.  
“Hey,” Collins said quietly, waiting for Annabelle to look up at her. “Call her,” she said seriously, handing Annabelle her phone that was sitting next to her on the step. Giving her friend a sad smile, she nodded in agreement before dialing her blonde friend’s number, the phone ringing numerous times before going to voicemail. Sighing, Annabelle put the phone back in her pocket before standing up, signaling that she was ready to go back inside.  
A few hours later found both girls quite intoxicated, the bottle of Jack almost completely gone. It was at this point that Collins asked Annabelle to play something else of hers for her. Explaining that she was unable to play at the moment due to being too intoxicated, Annabelle searched for her laptop before opening the screen and scrolling through her documents. Allie was an excellent DJ, and those talents allowed her to help assist Annabelle in recording some of her songs. She wasn’t really planning to use them for anything, she just liked the thought of recording her own music and mixing it in a way she felt was best. Upon finding the audio file she was looking for, she turned the volume all the way up before pressing the button that would allow her voice to ring throughout the speakers. She decided it wasn’t really the time to play another song about her feelings, so she opted for one of her more upbeat songs.

Said she tried to phone me  
But I never have time  
She said that I never listen  
But I don't even try  
I got a new place in Cali But I'm gone every night  
So I fill it with strangers so they keep 'em alive

She said she told you she knows me  
But the face isn't right  
She asked if I recognized her and I told her I might  
See, everywhere I go I got a million different people tryna' kick it  
But I'm still alone in my mind

I know you're dying to meet me  
But I can just tell you this  
Baby, as soon as you meet me  
You'll wish that you never did  
(You'll wish that you never did)

I stayed a night out in Paris where they don't know my name  
And I got into some trouble with that drink in my veins  
I got a problem with parties 'Cause it's loud in my brain  
And I can never say sorry 'Cause I won't take the blame

I know I always go missing And you're lying awake  
But if you ask why I'm distant  
Oh, I'm runnin' away  
You know that everywhere I go I got a million different people tryna' kick it  
But I'm still alone in my mind

I know you're dying to meet me  
But I can just tell you this  
Baby, as soon as you meet me  
You'll wish that you never did  
(You'll wish that you never did)

I, I know you wanna  
I, I know you wanna  
I, I know you wanna  
Slip under my armor  
I, I know you wanna  
I, I know you wanna  
I, I know you wanna  
Slip under my armor

See, everywhere I go I got a million different people tryna' hit it  
But I'm still alone in my mind  
I know you're dying to meet me  
But I can just tell you this  
Baby, as soon as you meet me  
You'll wish that you never did  
(You'll wish that you never did)  
Yeah, yeah  
You'll wish that you never did

(I know you wanna) (Slip under my armor) oh  
(I know you wanna) (I, I know you wanna) you'll wish that you never did

As the song rang through the speakers, Collins and Annabelle danced around the room with the bottle of Jack. As the song ended, Collins clapped loudly, earning a bang on the wall and a brutal ‘SHUT THE FUCK UP’ from Katherine’s room. Rolling their eyes simultaneously, the girls sat back down and continued to drink and make small talk.  
It was getting late and both girls were quite drunk, Annabelle beginning to open up about her thoughts towards their English teacher.  
“She’s sooooooo fucking hot,” Annabelle slurred, hanging her tongue out of her mouth before laughing at her own comment, as well as the look Collins was giving her.  
“Okay, I don’t need the image of your tongue and what you wanna do with it every time I see Professor Bradley,” Collins slurred back, giving Annabelle a playful nudge. Collins must have nudged Annabelle harder than she thought, because it led to Annabelle dramatically falling off the bed they were both sitting on.  
“HELP!” Annabelle yelled dramatically, “I’VE FALLEN AND I CAN’T GET UP!” she exclaimed, as both girls again erupted into a fit of full-belly laughs. Annabelle’s phone began to ring, and she was way too drunk to read the screen, so she just answered it blindly. “Hello,” she slurred slowly between laughs.  
“Anna? Is that you?” a voice asked from the other end of the line. Annabelle’s blood ran cold at the sound of the familiar voice, and it was like someone had dumped a bucket of ice water on her, snapping her back to a sober reality.  
“Kim?” Annabelle asked, Collins’s head snapping towards her friend, her mouth agape in surprise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for leaving it there, will update again soon and not keep you in too much suspense... hopefully(;
> 
> Lyrics from Drown by Front Porch Step and Alone by Halsey


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So I went back and forth with myself about how I wanted to continue after the last couple cliffhangers. I wanted to make this chapter a split between Allie and Franky, as well as Anna and Collins, but I got a little too into Allie and Franky's escapades. Should be able to get another chapter posted within the next day. Also, this chapter is absolutely NSFW or anywhere else for that matter.

Indulgence

Franky and Allie lay breathless, both covered in a fine sheen of sweat due to their activities. Once both had regained their composure, they simultaneously turned to look at one another. They held eye contact for a couple seconds before both girls burst out laughing. It was hilarious really, the two womanizers of the group somehow ended up stumbling into bed with one another, not that it wasn’t enjoyable. Allie allowed her gaze to land on the digital alarm clock on Franky’s side of the bed, surprised when she saw that it was just before 3 a.m.  
“Why do I feel like it should be later than it actually is?” Allie asked with a chuckle.  
“Because we both did Adderall,” Franky said with a knowing smirk. She was a little shocked too. “Although I do have to say, that’s the quickest and most pleasurable three rounds I’ve ever experienced. Good on ya, Novak!” Franky said, both girls giggling as they high-fived.  
“Well I’m not surprised, it’s not like we get the girls to come home with us are in it for the free lodging,” Allie said with a smirk as Franky nodded in agreement. “Does it make me an alcoholic if I keep drinking?” Allie asked.  
“Nah, it doesn’t count as morning drinking if you’ve already been drinking all night,” Franky replied as she made her way to her dresser to put on something comfortable.  
“I’ll drink to that!” Allie said, raising the neck of the bottle of liquor towards Franky before taking a healthy swig. She was about to offer the bottle to Franky but was temporarily silenced as she watched her friend’s naked form prance around the room before pulling on a big t-shirt and tossing one to Allie. Allie knew Franky had a lot of tattoos, but seeing her completely bare brought a few others to her attention. Franky looked at Allie with a knowing smirk before making her way back over to the bed.  
Franky slowly crawled up the bed towards Allie’s naked form, barely covered by the bed sheet. She made a move like she was going to kiss her, but instead she took the bottle from her hands and licked her face before retreating back to her side of the bed, laughing at a disgruntled Allie.  
“FRANKY!” Allie yelled, wiping her face and shoving her friend.  
“Yeah pretty much, only it was more like ‘Fraaaaaaankyyyyyyyy,’” the brunette retorted, expertly mocking Allie’s less than quiet cries of pleasure not long before.  
“You’re an idiot,” Allie replied, snatching the bottle back from her friend and taking a shot before handing it back to her and moving towards the long t-shirt Franky had thrown to her. She was just about to put it on when Franky’s hand on her arm halted her movements.  
“Wait,” Franky said, quickly putting the bottle back on the bedside table before climbing on top of the blonde. “Don’t be so hasty about getting dressed,” she said, her voice a few octaves lower than usual. Allie tilted her head to the side and raised an eyebrow at the brunette. Franky had always found Allie attractive, and they had become really great friends. Any further thought about what may happen beyond their long night of partying had not crossed either of their minds. It wasn’t like they were in love or anything. But, girls have needs, and what better way to satisfy them than with someone who you already know is good at sex? Allie crooked her finger, motioning for Franky to come closer. Just as their lips were about to touch, Allie flipped them over so that she was on top of Franky, and in full control.  
“It’s payback time, Doyle,” Allie said, scratching her nails down the taut abdomen of the brunette beneath her, taking her bottom lip between her teeth before crashing their lips together in a heated kiss. Allie’s hands roamed around underneath Franky’s shirt and along the waistband of her black lace panties. Allie could tell by the small whimpers coming from Franky’s lips, as well as the way she frantically bucked her hips looking for some sort of friction, that she was beginning to get frustrated. Franky’s hands found their way to Allie’s back, roughly dragging her nails along the length eliciting a deep, “mmmmm,” from Allie. She moved her hands to Allie’s shoulders before attempting to push her off so that she could get back on top. Allie knew exactly what Franky was doing, and she broke the kiss as she grabbed Franky’s hands, pinning them by the wrists above Franky’s head with one hand. “I don’t think so,” Allie said, shaking her index finger in a ‘no’ motion.  
“Fuck, Allie,” Franky hissed as Allie began kissing her way up the brunette’s neck. She was so turned on right now, and she desperately needed to have her needs taken care of. Allie continued kissing her way up Franky’s neck, before taking her left earlobe into her mouth and sucking on it. As she was about to let the love out of her mouth, she stopped it by taking it between her teeth and pulling back, allowing Franky to relish in the feeling of her teeth. “Jesus Novak, just get on with it!” a frustrated Franky exclaimed as she tried to move her arms that were still being held down by a smug blonde.  
Allie pulled back a little, allowing her right hand to lightly grip the other woman’s throat. Both girls had spoken many times in the past about the things they enjoyed in bed, and both found that they enjoyed being bitten as well as choked. Allie leaned in closer to Franky’s face, allowing her lips to ghost over the other woman’s before she slightly pulled back again.  
“Shut up,” Allie said sternly with a hint of playfulness before she began to nibble her way from Franky’s ear down the other side of her neck.  
Franky rolled her head to the left, granting Allie easier access. Franky gasped loudly as Allie’s tongue swept across her pulse point, the act not unnoticed by the naked blonde. Allie closed her lips and teeth on the area, causing the brunette to shudder as she began to suck harder, rolling her hips against Franky’s. Franky managed to get one hand free of Allie’s grasp, the blonde’s grip tightening around the brunette’s left wrist as her right hand found its way to the back of Allie’s neck, gripping her hair at the base of her neck. Allie hissed in pleasure, biting her lip as the brunette dragged her head up so the two could make eye contact. Franky licked her lips before pulling Allie’s face closer to her, their lips ghosting over each other long enough for Franky to speak.  
“Don’t make me punish you,” Franky said before plunging her lips and tongue into those of the blue-eyed blonde. Tongues explored one another before Allie bit down hard on Franky’s bottom lip as she pulled away.  
“Bite me, Doyle,” she whispered into Franky’s ear before biting down on the other girl’s earlobe. Franky hissed in pleasure, Allie letting go of the brunette’s other hand just long enough to press them back down by Franky’s sides, her knees holding down the other girl’s wrists as she straddled Franky. Looking down at the girl beneath her dressed only in a lacy pair of black panties and an oversized t-shirt, she noticed that the green eyes staring back at her were reduced to almost black pools of desire. Allie slowly traced a finger down Franky’s throat before running it along the worn out neckline of the cotton barrier. “Do you particularly ‘like’ this shirt?” Allie asked nonchalantly, her eyes following the slow pattern her index finger was making over the fabric of the shirt before meeting the other girl’s gaze once again.  
Franky laughed, “You wanna talk about laundry at a time li—“  
The brunette was silenced by each of Allie’s hands gripping one side of the shirt’s neckline, easily tearing the fabric wide open with a loud ripping noise. She raked her eyes all over the skin of her friend beneath her before licking her lips and looking back up at Franky.  
“Oops,” the blonde said unremorsefully as she raised an eyebrow at the tattooed brunette who was looking at her like a lion stalking its prey.  
“Oh it’s on, Novak,” Franky said, taking Allie completely by surprise as she wrapped her own legs around Allie’s, mustering up all of her core strength as she quickly sat up, flopping the blonde down on her back. She quickly removed the torn article of clothing from her back, tossing it across the room somewhere before taking Allie by the wrists, completely turning the tables on her blonde friend in a matter of seconds. Franky gave a predatory smirk before moving to whisper in Allie’s right ear. “You’ve been a bad girl,” she said cryptically, her lips lightly grazing the contours of Allie’s ear in the way she knew drove her nuts.  
“Do something about it then,” the blonde shot back, arching her back up off the bed enough to press her body into Franky’s.  
Allie’s body was on fire as Franky ghosted her lips across her jawline and down her neck. She let out a loud whimper as the skilled brunette bit down hard on her neck. Franky lifted her eyes and grinned knowingly at the girl beneath her. She had witnessed the blonde covered in bite marks many times following a late night rendezvous with whoever the catch of the day was. She knew exactly what she was doing to the blonde, and watching her squirm beneath her turned her on even more than the incessant teasing she had just endured.  
“Is that all you’ve got?” Allie asked challengingly, clearly impressed with herself when Franky shot her a look that could only be defined as ‘oh really?” Franky allowed one of her hands to find its way to the hair at the base of Allie’s head, the blonde biting her own lip as the brunette pulled, forcing the blonde to look up into her eyes.  
“Shut up,” the green-eyed girl said firmly, deciding not to torture either of them more than necessary as she released Allie’s hands and began to lick, suck, and bite her way down Allie’s body.  
Running her tongue up the apex of Allie’s breasts, the brunette sucked hard on the skin surrounding the blonde’s left nipple, leaving a purple welt in her wake. She tugged on the nipple with her teeth before sucking hard and swirling her tongue around the hardened bud. Running her left hand up the outside of Allie’s thigh and abdomen until she reached Allie’s right breast, she began to twist and tweak the nipple between her fingers, eventually switching her motions to allow each breast the same attention.  
“Mmmmm Franks,” Allie moaned as one hand scratched at Franky’s back, the other gripping the bed sheets. She was incredible turned on, but they weren’t exactly in a position that would allow Allie any friction to relieve the burning want in her core. Franky ceased her movement, moving up to eye level once again with the blonde, before pressing her index finger to the blonde’s lips.  
“You talk too much.”  
Franky quickly sat up, removing the black lacy panties that were the only barrier left between the two young undergrads. She grabbed Allie’s wrists, stretching the fabric as she wrapped her panties around Allie’s wrists and then securing the remaining slack around the post of the bed. Allie just lay there, completely taken off guard by the turn of events. Franky and herself were very much alike, which made this whole excursion even more fun. However, she wasn’t expecting the other girl to turn the tables completely, leaving her completely and utterly helpless. Allie Novak does not beg, but if the brunette continued to tease her, she swore she would tear the bedpost clean off just to be able to satisfy her own needs.  
Franky looked down at the scene in front of her, clearly impressed with herself. Watching a writhing Allie beneath her was further escalating her arousal. She lowered her body back down against the blonde’s, her lips ghosting over the other girl’s before whispering, “That’s better,” and capturing said lips once more in a heated kiss.  
“Fuck you,” Allie sneered as their lips parted, clearly unimpressed with her current predicament. Franky just smirked at her once again, that predatory grin with her dimples as deep as the Grand Canyon, before she leaned down to Allie’s ear once again.  
“Mmkay,” Franky said in what could only be described as a school girl tone. She began a slow descent down Allie’s body, biting and sucking along the way. She knew the girl would be covered in bite marks and hickeys by the end of their little marathon, but she made sure to make the biggest and darkest ones in places that would be easily concealed by clothes. Every time Allie got naked for the next week, she wanted her to remember Franky’s mouth on her.  
Franky licked all across Allie’s waistline before moving herself lower so that she was face to face with the blonde’s womanhood. Her core was dripping wet and Franky licked her lips, knowing she was about to indulge in the fiery heat coming from the younger girl. Allie’s vagina was perfect, it looked like a tiny pink rose, although now it looked like said rose got caught in a rainstorm. Franky raised her eyes, her gaze meeting Allie’s, each girl licking their lips before Franky’s tongue plunged through the blonde’s wet folds, tasting her for the first time. Franky hummed in delight as she pulled away for a brief second, Allie groaning in frustration at the loss of contact.  
“You taste so good,” the brunette disclosed. She took Allie’s legs and threw them over her shoulders, her hands supporting the blonde’s lower back as Franky lifted her hips off the bed and continued her assault on Allie’s slick core.  
“You are in so much trouble after this,” Allie moaned, bucking her hips wildly against Franky’s mouth as she yanked hard on the black lace panties that still restrained her wrists. The rough fabric of the lace bit hard into Allie’s wrists as she continued to pull. She was close, and not being able to touch the other girl was driving her insane. Franky pulled away long enough to utter a quick response.  
“Bite me, Novak,” she retorted with a grin before returning her attention to Allie’s slick core. She knew the blonde was close, especially after each of them incessantly teasing one another. Not wanting to cause the other girl any more frustration, she lowered Allie’s hips before unexpectedly slamming two fingers into the blonde’s heated center.  
Allie yelped at the sudden intrusion, but began to move her hips erratically matching the tempo of Franky’s fingers. If she had known it would be this good, she would have hooked up with the fiery brunette ages ago. Allie’s walls began to tighten, and her body shuddered as Franky curled her fingers inside of her. Reaching upwards with her other hand, Franky expertly removed Allie’s restrained hands from the bedpost, the blonde quickly freeing her own hands completely as one hand found Franky’s throat and the other reached down between their bodies, easily entering the brunette’s drenched folds.  
This wasn’t going according to plan. Franky had freed Allie's hands under the assumption that they would find their way to her hair or her back, not that they would automatically gravitate towards both of the brunette’s sweet spots.  
Franky moaned loudly before picking up the pace of her movements inside the younger girl. She would be damned if she allowed Allie the satisfaction of making her cum first. But, those thoughts went right out the window when the blonde thrust her fingers deep inside her folds, erratically crooking her fingers as she hit Franky’s g-spot over and over again. Not one to go down without a fight, Franky mirrored the blonde’s movements inside of her heated center, while rubbing her clit with her thumb.  
“Fuck, Franks, that’s so good,” Allie moaned out. “Shit, I’m gonna—“ Allie’s words were interrupted as her walls began to clench tightly around the skilled fingers of her friend. Allie absentmindedly slammed her fingers hard into Franky’s center one more time, curling them once again as the heel of her hand rubbed sensually against Franky’s clit. As Allie’s orgasm washed over her and Franky’s name fell from her lips yet again, Franky couldn’t stop herself from following Allie over the edge.  
Franky collapsed on top of the blonde, both completely spent. Fuck that was good, both girls thought to themselves. Realizing that they were at the foot of the bed, Franky lifted herself from Allie’s body before urging her back up towards the correct end of the bed. Looking back over at the alarm clock, both girls erupted into a fit of laughter after realizing that only a mere half hour had passed.  
Once their laughter began to subside, both of their attention was turned to a buzzing noise coming from across the room. Allie got up from the bed and made her way towards her discarded jeans before digging through the pockets to find her phone. She picked it up and looked at the caller ID. She sighed as she turned around, running her fingers through her hair.  
“What’s wrong?” Franky asked from the bed, having retrieved her own phone to check her messages, as she looked up at the blonde.  
“It’s Anna,” Allie replied, staring down at the caller ID.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hi all! Sorry it's been a little bit since I posted, had a nasty case of writers block. I was scared I was focusing a little too much on our young girls, so I wanted to have a chapter with our lovely curly headed trio. Not a ton of action, sort of just setting the stage for a few other things that will come later. As far as the song at the end, the first verse is the female part and the second is the male part, the chorus is both singers, and after each chorus it repeats the same pattern, female, male, both.
> 
> On another note, I appreciate all the comments and kudos I've been receiving. This is my first go at writing fanfiction so I'm glad I haven't royally fucked it up yet! If there's any suggestions any of you have, please don't hesitate to comment, I promise I read all of them. Anyways I'll shut up now, enjoy this chapter, and I hope to get another one written this week.

Glass

Simone was sitting at home in the office, going over a few last-minute things for her classes the following day. Including the English 100 class in which she had once again crossed paths with the auburn haired rebel, she had an advanced poetry class. At the meeting the previous Friday, she had volunteered when the Dean mentioned figuring out a way to get more people into the pub on campus. It was a nice spot, almost resembling a small dive bar, but as it was in the same building as the small store and coffee shop in the student center, it didn’t get much business. She had gone forth recommending an open mic night, hoping she could use extra credit as a bargaining tool to get some of her students to perform.  
The clock on the computer screen read 8:57 P.M. and, after having arrived home and sticking her nose to the grindstone around 6:00, she decided she deserved a break. Saving the necessary documents, she removed her glasses and ran her fingers through her curly blonde locks. She went to grab a drink from her water bottle, only to realize it was empty. Therefore, she rose from her desk chair and made her way downstairs to the kitchen. Upon filling her water bottle and grabbing a granola bar to snack on, she began to hear the faint sound of music coming from the basement, and began to follow the melody down the stairs.  
The basement of their Hooksett, New Hampshire home had been finished, a laundry room on the right hand side, and a music space on the left. Simone continued her descent, seeing Thomas at the piano, singing quietly with the melody, before stopping to write something and beginning again. He was surrounded by instruments, as well as various amps and equipment, and it made Simone wonder how long it had actually been since she was down there. She was brought out of her thoughts when the music stopped and Thomas turned around, sensing he was being watched.  
“Hey,” he said with a smile, cocking his head to the side slightly, urging Simone to fully descend the stairs and enter.  
“It sounded really beautiful,” Simone stated as she sat next to her little brother on the bench. “What are you working on?” she inquired.  
“Oh it’s nothing,” he said humbly, “just a song I’ve been working on.”  
“Is it finished?”  
“I think so,” he said with a sigh, running his fingers through his hair, “I feel like it needs… more though.” He liked the song he had written, but he still felt it was missing something.  
“Can I hear it?” Simone asked with a smile, gently nudging her brother’s shoulder. She’d had piano lessons when she was younger, and sang from time to time, but had fallen more in love with the written words as opposed to the music itself.  
Thomas gave his sister a soft smile before cracking his neck and fingers, releasing a long sigh as he began.

Trying to live and love,  
With a heart that can't be broken,  
Is like trying to see the light with eyes that can't be opened.

Yeah, we both carry baggage,  
We picked up on our way, so if you love me do it gently,  
And I will do the same.

We may shine, we may shatter,  
We may be picking up the pieces here on after,  
We are fragile, we are human,  
We are shaped by the light we let through us,  
We break fast, cause we are glass.  
'Cause we are glass.

I'll let you look inside me, through the stains and through the cracks,  
And in the darkness of this moment,  
You see the good and bad.  
But try not to judge me, 'cause we've walked down different paths,  
But it brought us here together, so I won't take that back.

We may shine, we may shatter,  
We may be picking up the pieces here on after,  
We are fragile, we are human,  
We are shaped by the light we let through us,  
We break fast, cause we are glass.

We might be oil and water, this could be a big mistake,  
We might burn like gasoline and fire,  
It's a chance we'll have to take.

We may shine, we may shatter,  
We may be picking up the pieces here on after,  
We are fragile, we are human,  
And we are shaped by the light we let through us,  
We break fast, cause we are glass.  
We are glass.

As Thomas played the final keys, the cogs in Simone’s head continued to turn vivaciously. The song was great, but she agreed with him that it was missing something. She couldn’t figure out what either, but she was glad to help him with his predicament.  
“Why don’t you try it in this key?” Simone asked, before beginning to play the notes in a different way. The two young Bradleys went back and forth for about an hour; both trying different things that may make the song complete, but nothing seemed to suffice.  
“Let’s both try singing it, you take this part,” Thomas explained, beginning to lightly press keys while pointing to different verses, Simone having known the gist of most of the lyrics after having gone back and forth for so long. “And I’ll cover the rest.” Simone nodded and Thomas began to play.

Bea had been in her room at her desk ever since she arrived home from school at around 6 p.m. that evening. Her eyes had been glued to her computer screen, going over lesson plans and organizing files into their respective spots. In addition to teaching SNHU 101, Bea also taught a journalism course and a few other small electives. However, she was most excited about the photography course she would be teaching with her younger sister.  
Having known that both women were the daughters of the great photographer Joseph Bradley, the Dean had allowed for the two to merge their classes together and teach one big photography course.   
Bea’s portion of the class would be a lot like the work she used to do while photographing album covers. Each assignment would have a different topic, and her students would have to find a way to capture the essence of said topic through photography. Simone’s portion, however, would be more focused on different types of photography, and the dynamics of photography. While their classes were technically separate on paper, there would be many cases in which the two classes would merge, whether it be for lecture or to act as subjects for the other class to photograph.  
Finally managing to peel her eyes away from her computer screen, the redhead removed her reading glasses before taking a drink of her bottled water. Rubbing her eyes, she glanced over at the clock realizing it was just gone 10 p.m. Deciding it was as good a time as any to call it a night, she turned off her computer and made her way down to the kitchen to get another bottle of water. Upon entering the kitchen and opening the fridge, she heard the faint sound of music coming from the basement. Closing the fridge, she made her way down the stairs and smiled at the sight before her.  
Her two younger siblings were sat next to one another at the piano, playing and singing along with one another. Bea knew how to play the piano, but she lacked the singing ability that her siblings possessed. It must have been something passed down from Joseph, she always figured. Sitting down on one of the steps, she watched with a huge smile of pride on her face. She was so proud of how far Simone and Thomas had come, and Simone’s voice sounded absolutely incredible. In that exact moment, Bea knew that there was nowhere else she would rather be than here with her family, in their home, no matter what they were doing. As the room fell silent, Bea stood up and began to clap, slightly startling the younger Bradleys.  
“Shit, how long have you been standing there?” Thomas exclaimed with a slight chuckle as he turned around abruptly.  
“Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you,” Bea said, fully descending the stairs, ruffling her younger brother’s hair as she walked by and leaned against the piano facing both of her siblings. “I was in the kitchen, about to call it a night, when I heard music. You two sounded awesome,” she continued, smiling warmly at her brother and sister.  
Simone blushed and smiled as she lowered her gaze. Simone had never been one who was great at taking compliments. It’s not that she didn’t find herself worthy of them, she just never knew how to react, even when the compliments came from her own family.  
“Your voice, it’s gotten better,” Bea said, looking directly at Simone, continuing when her younger sister finally lifted her gaze to meet the deep brown pools belonging to her older sister. “Your range is incredible, your voice has so much more body to it.”  
“Thanks,” Simone replied shyly. Music had always been a hobby of hers, but never much more. She had written a few songs over the years, but she only really played the piano and sang every now and then. “I can’t take all the credit though, our little brother here is pretty talented,” Simone continued, smiling a little as she bumped her brother with her shoulder.  
“Well,” Thomas began as he started to put away the pages and pages of music to settle in for the night, “I think you’re what was missing, if I do say so myself.” Thomas stood up from the bench, smirking and raising an eyebrow at Simone, in a way that would hopefully make her realize she should pick up music as a hobby once more. “On that note, I’m calling it a night. I love you guys,” he said, giving each of his sisters a hug and a kiss on the cheek before vacating the room. Upon his departure, Bea took the seat he had just vacated next to her younger sister at the piano, lightly running her fingers over the keys.  
“Have you been writing at all?” Bea asked, turning to her sister.  
“Not really,” Simone said with a sigh.   
“Why not?” Bea asked. She knew her sister loved to write, always having been the most articulate of the three siblings. But sometimes she couldn’t help but wonder if she wasn’t as in love with writing as she used to be, since making a career out of it. Her poetry book had taken off quite well, but since then the light hadn’t been as bright in her sister’s eyes.  
“I guess I just haven’t been able to find the right inspiration,” she said, her mind drifting to Annabelle and the guitar she had seen her carrying the day they met, silently hoping that maybe she would get the opportunity to hear her play at the open mic nights.  
“Too bad, I was gonna ask you to play me something,” Bea smirked.  
“How about we play something together?” Simone asked. It was very rare that the two sisters got the opportunity to play together, but each time was special to the curly haired sisters.  
“What did you have in mind?”  
“How about this?” Simone asked as she began to play the opening notes of the song they both knew. They had seen the movie Music & Lyrics together awhile back, and had spent the next two following days learning how to play the song. Bea smiled as she began to play along with her sister, reminding her that she was going to have to sing Drew Barrymore’s part. Simone nodded and continued to play the rest of the introduction before she began to sing.

 

I've been living with a shadow overhead  
I've been sleeping with a cloud above my bed  
I've been lonely for so long  
Trapped in the past, I just can't seem to move on

I've been hiding all my hopes and dreams away  
Just in case I ever need em again someday  
I've been setting aside time  
To clear a little space in the corners of my mind

All I want to do is find a way back into love  
I can't make it through without a way back into love  
Oh oh oh

I've been watching but the stars refuse to shine  
I've been searching but I just don't see the signs  
I know that it's out there  
There's got to be something for my soul somewhere

I've been looking for someone to shed some light  
Not somebody just to get me through the night  
I could use some direction  
And I'm open to your suggestions

All I want to do is find a way back into love  
I can't make it through without a way back into love  
And if I open my heart again  
I guess I'm hoping you'll be there for me in the end  
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

There are moments when I don't know if it's real  
Or if anybody feels the way I feel  
I need inspiration  
Not just another negotiation

All I want to do is find a way back into love  
I can't make it through without a way back into love  
And if I open my heart to you  
I'm hoping you'll show me what to do  
And if you help me to start again  
You know that I'll be there for you in the end  
Oh, oh, oh

As the song came to a close, both sisters looked at one another with tears in their eyes. Not that either of them were upset, they were both just so happy to be spending time together like this again. Smiling through their tears at one another, no words needed to be exchanged as they hugged one another tightly. After a few moments, the two broke apart and decided to call it a night, knowing it was late and they both had classes the next morning. Ascending the stairs back up to the kitchen, locking up and turning off the lights, the sisters ascended the second set of stairs together, saying their “I love yous” as they parted ways to their respective bedrooms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics from Glass by Thompson Square, and Way Back Into Love by Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore, from the movie Music & Lyrics


	11. Chapter 11

Hello all! I'm sorry for not updating as much as usual, was dealing with a clinical case of writers block. I'm a tiny bit back on track now and what I can tell you is this: next chapter will be a Kim chapter. Again I highly apologize for not updating, but this is my first fanfic so I want it perfect. It's in the works definitely, but I read everyone's comments and I would love any input from all of you. I'm grateful for all the kudos and the encouragement to keep writing because this is something I've always wanted to do. So, with much love, I bid all of you a happy holiday and all the what nots, and I permit all rights to give up on me if my lazy ass doesn't continue. But I would love to, and I am hell ridden on giving all of you an enjoyable fanfic. Love you all,

Love,  
Sammy Jetpack


End file.
